Abstract
The aim of this study is to prepare silica-supported Ni-X bimetallic catalysts, to characterize them and to compare their catalytic activity in the hydrogenation of styrene, as well as their selectivity in the hydrogenation of the styrene's olefinic double bond instead of the hydrogenation of the aromatic ring. The element X is grafted in a controlled way on the supported nickel particles, and is chosen according to its electronegativity, which is either equivalent (Sn) or higher (Au) than the electronegativity of Ni, in order to study the geometrical and/or electronic effects due to the doping of nickel. Among the prepared samples, the Ni-Au/SiO2 catalyst has exhibited high activity and high selectivity in the hydrogenation of styrene into ethylbenzene, suggesting that a combination of geometric and electro-attractor effects are involved.