Study on Copper-based Catalysts for Synthesis of N,N′-bis(1,4-dimethylpentyl)-p-phenylenediamine from Reductive Alkylation of p-Nitroaniline with 5-Methyl-2-hexanone

The reductive alkylation of p-nitroaniline with 5-methyl-2-hexanone over copper-based catalysts was investigated. Furthermore, the catalysts were characterized using the techniques of XRD, H₂–N₂O titration, H₂-TPR, NH₃-TPD and pyridine-FTIR. The results showed that the addition of Mn, Ba and La into Cu–SiO₂ catalyst played an important role in the improvement of the selectivity towards N,N′-bis(1,4-dimethylpentyl)-p-phenylenediamine (BMPPD). The highest selectivity towards BMPPD over 58CuO–9MnO₂–BaO–1La₂O₃–30SiO₂ (wt.%) catalyst could be ascribed to the best dispersion of copper (i.e., the highest hydrogenation ability) and the most amounts of the surface Lewis acidic sites.