Co–N–C catalysts derived from folic acid and mediated by hydrazine hydrate for selective hydrogenation of quinoline

Abstract

Improving the dispersion of metal nanoparticles and suppressing metal aggregation have long been the keys to constructing efficient metal-loaded catalysts. Herein, catalysts of cobalt (Co) supported on nitrogen (N)-doped carbon were prepared by a simple hydrothermal method using folic acid (FA) as the carbon source. Surprisingly, hydrazine hydrate not only facilitated the loading of metal Co, but also regulated the morphology of the catalyst, promoted the uniform distribution of metal Co, and effectively improved the catalytic hydrogenation activity of the catalyst. It was found that the catalyst mediated with 10 mL hydrazine hydrate and pyrolyzed at 900 °C exhibited the best catalytic performance (99.6% conversion of quinoline and 98.0% selectivity for 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline). In addition, it exhibited satisfying adaptability for diverse substrates. This study can provide great theoretical significance and practical guidance for the preparation of Co–N–C catalysts.