Single-pass transformation of syngas into ethanol with high selectivity by triple tandem catalysis

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 827 - 11
• Main Authors: Kang, Jincan, He, Shun, Zhou, Wei, Shen, Zheng, Li, Yangyang, Chen, Mingshu, Zhang, Qinghong, Wang, Ye
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 11.02.2020; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 140/131; 140/146; 147/143; 639/638/224/685; 639/638/77/887; Acetic acid; Carbon; Carbonyls; Catalysis; Catalysts; Catalytic converters; Conversion; Decoupling; Energy consumption; Ethanol; Humanities and Social Sciences; Methanol; multidisciplinary; Petroleum; Reactors; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Selectivity; Silicon carbide; Synthesis gas; Zeolites; Zinc oxide; Zirconium dioxide
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14672-8

Synthesis of ethanol from non-petroleum carbon resources via syngas (a mixture of H 2 and CO) is an important but challenging research target. The current conversion of syngas to ethanol suffers from low selectivity or multiple processes with high energy consumption. Here, we report a high-selective conversion of syngas into ethanol by a triple tandem catalysis. An efficient trifunctional tandem system composed of potassium-modified ZnO–ZrO 2 , modified zeolite mordenite and Pt–Sn/SiC working compatibly in syngas stream in one reactor can afford ethanol with a selectivity of 90%. We demonstrate that the K + –ZnO–ZrO 2 catalyses syngas conversion to methanol and the mordenite with eight-membered ring channels functions for methanol carbonylation to acetic acid, which is then hydrogenated to ethanol over the Pt–Sn/SiC catalyst. The present work offers an effective methodology leading to high selective conversion by decoupling a single-catalyst-based complicated and uncontrollable reaction into well-controlled multi-steps in tandem in one reactor. Direct synthesis of ethanol from non-petroleum carbon resources via syngas (CO/H 2 ) is a highly attractive but challenging target. Here, the authors report a triple tandem catalytic system for single-pass conversion of syngas into ethanol with selectivity as high as 90%.