CHARACTERIZATION AND SELECTIVITY OF Ru/MoO3 CATALYSTS FOR THE FORMATION OF OXYGENATES FROM CO+H2. INFLUENCE OF THE TEMPERATURE OF REDUCTION

Ru/MoO 3 catalysts containing 0.5, 1 and 2 wt% Ru have been prepared using two kinds of MoO 3 , and their reduction by H 2 has been followed by XRD and TGA. Ru catalyses the reduction of the MoO 3 ; a hydrogen Mo bronze is first formed, and reduction to Mo metal is complete at 773 K. Catalysts reduced at 623 K or above give ∼ 25-30% of C 1 -C 3 alcohols from syngas; the proportion of C 2 or C 3 alcohols decreases with reduction temperature, and when this is 723 K only methanol is formed. Reduced MoO x species promote alcohol synthesis either through an SMSI effect or through a dual-site mechanism.