Nanosized Boron-Nickel Catalyst for Selective Chloronitrobenzene Hydrogenation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hydrogenation processes of chloronitrobenzene using noble metals like palladium, platinum, and ruthenium are costly and prone to generating byproducts due to their high hydrogenation ability.
Innovation Solution
A hydrogenation process utilizing a nanosized boron-containing nickel catalyst with a boron-to-nickel atom ratio of 0.1-0.9, produced by mixing a nickel salt and boron hydride in an ethanolic solution, is employed, featuring a high surface area and amorphous structure to achieve high activity and selectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If noble metal catalysts (Pd, Pt, Ru) are used for hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzene, then hydrogenation ability is improved, but byproduct formation increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the catalyst by using nanosized nickel particles (1-100 nm) instead of noble metals, and incorporating boron compounds to modify the catalyst properties. This parameter change maintains hydrogenation ability while reducing byproduct formation through controlled catalytic activity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite catalyst system consisting of nanosized nickel particles combined with boron compounds (boric acid, borax, or boron trifluoride). This composite structure synergistically enhances catalytic performance while suppressing unwanted side reactions, resolving the contradiction between activity and selectivity
2Reliability
If noble metal catalysts are used for hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzene, then hydrogenation ability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive noble metal catalysts with inexpensive nanosized nickel catalysts supported on common materials like activated carbon or alumina. This substitution dramatically reduces catalyst cost while maintaining adequate catalytic activity through the nanoscale effect and boron modification
Solution Approach 2:
The patent exploits the size parameter by reducing nickel particles to nanoscale (1-100 nm), which dramatically increases surface area and catalytic activity per unit mass. This parameter change allows cheap nickel to compete with expensive noble metals in terms of catalytic efficiency
3Manufacturing precision
If nanosized boron-containing nickel catalyst is used, then product selectivity is improved, but catalyst preparation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates boron compounds into the catalyst structure during the preparation stage, before the actual hydrogenation reaction. This preliminary action of pre-modifying the nickel particles with boron ensures high selectivity is built into the catalyst itself, rather than requiring complex process controls during reaction
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process achieves over 99% selectivity to chloroaniline with reduced byproduct formation, leveraging the high activity and selectivity of the nanosized boron-containing nickel catalyst.
Implementation Method 1
a hydrogenation process of chloronitrobenzene with the use of nanosized boron-containing nickel catalyst
Implementation Method 2
the nanosized boron-containing nickel catalyst is placed into a reactor with a chloronitrobenzene, an alcoholic solvent having carbon number less than four per molecule and a hydrogenation process is performed to hydrogenate the chloronitrobenzene in hydrogen gas
Data Source
AI summary
A hydrogenation process of chloronitrobenzene. The hydrogenation process comprises the steps of producing a nanosized boron-containing nickel catalyst, wherein a ratio of the amount of the boron atom to the amount of the nickel atom in the nanosized boron-containing nickel catalyst is of about 0.1-0.9. Then, the nanosized boron-containing nickel catalyst is placed into a reactor with a chloronitrobenzene an alcohol solvent having carbon number less than four per molecule and a hydrogenation process is performed to hydrogenating the chloronitrobenzene in hydrogen with a reaction pressure of about 5-40 atm and a reaction temperature of about 40-150° C.