Selective Hydrogenation of Cinnamaldehyde over (111) Preferentially Oriented Pt Particles Supported on Expanded Graphite

(111) preferentially oriented Pt nanoparticles supported on expanded graphite were prepared by impregnation of the support with an aqueous solution of H₂PtCl₆. The catalyst was characterized by a number of techniques and tested in the liquid-phase hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde. The preferential surface orientation of the metal particles favours a very high selectivity towards the hydrogenation of the carbonyl bond of cinnamaldehyde to yield cinnamyl alcohol. The performance of this catalytic system is comparable to that obtained with similar catalysts prepared by more complex methods. Furthermore, expanded graphite provides a good alternative as support to other graphitic materials such as carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibres.