Copper Supported on Ceria Mesocellular Foam Silica as an Effective Catalyst for Reductive Condensation of Acetone to Methyl Isobutyl Ketone

Copper-containing materials based on Ce- and Ca–Nb-mesocellular foam (MCF) silica supports are prepared, characterized and applied as catalysts for gas-phase reductive condensation of acetone to produce methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK). The properties of the materials, the interaction of metal species, and their role in the catalytic process are examined by nitrogen physisorption, XRD, XPS, CO₂-TPD, H₂-TPR, and chemisorption of NO and pyridine combined with FTIR spectroscopy. A synergistic interaction of Cu²⁺, Cu⁰, and CeO₂ species incorporated in the MCF support enable the Cu/Ce-MCF catalyst to yield 34 % of acetone conversion with over 90 % MIBK selectivity at 250 °C. Moreover, this high catalyst selectivity is maintained during operation for 24 h despite a decline in catalyst activity. The catalytic performance is superior to that of hydroxyapatite-supported Cu and similar previously reported Pd-containing catalysts.