Raney nickel alloy expanded mesh hydrogenation catalysts

Claim 2

In a method for hydrogenating an aromatic ring compound of the type ##STR3## wherein K is either benzene or napththalene, R 1 is hydrogen atom or an aliphatic chain containing from about 1 to about 9 carbon atoms or a phenyl radical, R 2 is a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic chain containing from about 1 to about 3 carbon atoms, and R 3 and R 4 are hydrogen atoms, hydroxy, or nitro groups in the presence of catalyst, said catalyst comprising a structure comprised of a Raney metal alloy surface layer integral with and derived from a selected nickel alloy monolithic substrate mesh structure, wherein said surface layer is predominantly derived from an adherent Ni x M 1-x Al 3 Beta phase structured crystalline precursory layer, where M is a catalytic activator selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, titanium, tantalum, ruthenium or mixtures thereof, and where x, the fraction of nickel in combined weight of Ni and M, is within the range of from about 0.80 to about 0.95.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said catalytic activator is molybdenum.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 or 3 wherein said mesh core comprises an alloy of nickel and a catalytic activator, said alloy containing between about 80 and about 95% nickel by weight.

Claim 7

The method of claim 4, wherein said catalytic activator is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, ruthenium, tantalum, titanium, or mixtures thereof.

Claim 8

The method of claim 3 wherein said catalyst is formed by the steps comprising: (a) coating the surfaces of a clean, non-porous metal base mesh structure of a nickel base alloy having from about 5 to about 20 percent of a catalytic activator therein with aluminum; (b) heating said coated mesh surfaces to a temperature of from about 660° C. to about 750° C. for a time sufficient to infuse a portion of said aluminum into the outer portions of said mesh structure so as to form said integral adherent Beta structured crystalline precursory layer in its outer portions; and (c) leaching out residual aluminum from said outer portion until said Raney metal exterior surface is formed integral with said mesh structure.

Claim 9

The method of claim 3 wherein said catalyst activator is molybdenum.

Claim 10

The method of claim 3 wherein said catalyst activator is ruthenium.

Claim 11

The method of claim 3 wherein said catalyst activator is tantalum.

Claim 12

The method of claim 3 wherein said catalyst activator is titanium.

Claim 13

The method of claim 7 wherein 1-x is between about 0.10 and about 0.18.

Claim 14

The method of claim 8 wherein 1-x is between about 0.05 and about 0.1.

Claim 15

The method of claim 3 wherein the hydrogen in said mixture is saturated with said aromatic ring compound.

Claim 16

The method of claim 3 wherein said admixing is done by saturating a flowing stream of gaseous hydrogen with said aromatic ring compound, said hydrogenation reaction occurring when said flowing stream passes through said mesh catalyst.

Claim 17

The method of claim 14 wherein said aromatic ring compound is benzene.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14 wherein said aromatic ring compound is toluene.

Claim 19

The method of claim 14 wherein said aromatic ring compound is xylene.

Claim 20

The method of claim 14 wherein said aromatic ring compound is naphthalene.

Claim 21

The method of claim 14 wherein said aromatic ring compound is diphenyl.

Claim 22

The method of claim 14 wherein said hydrogenating is effected at a pressure in the range between about 50 and about 100 p.s.i.

Claim 23

The method of claim 14 wherein said preheat temperature is between about 25° C. and about 200° C.

Claim 24

The method of claim 14 wherein said equilibrium temperature is between about 30° C. and about 400° C.

Claim 25

The method of claim 3 wherein a further step comprises dissolving said compound in an inert solvent to form a solution and admixing said solution with hydrogen, said hydrogenation occurring when said admixed solution is contacted with said mesh catalyst.

Claim 26

The method of claim 23 wherein said hydrogenation is effected at a pressure in the range between about 40 and about 2000 p.s.i.

Claim 27

The method of claim 24 wherein said preheat temperature is between about 25° C. and about 200° C.

Claim 28

The method of claim 24 wherein said equilibrium temperature is between about 30° C. and about 400° C.

Claim 29

The method of claim 23 wherein said aromatic ring compound is dinitrotoluene.

Claim 30

The method of claim 23 wherein said aromatic ring compound is dinitrobenzene.

Claim 31

The method of claim 23 wherein said aromatic ring compound is p,p'-bis(nitrophenylmethane).

Claim 32

The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of activating said catalyst prior to its first use.

Claim 33

The method of claim 30 wherein said activation comprises heating said catalyst in a flowing stream of gaseous hydrogen for a time between about 2 and about 24 hours at a temperature between about 250° C. and about 350° C.

Claim 34

In a reactor of claim 32 wherein an aromatic ring compound of the type ##STR5## wherein K is either benzene or napththalene, R 1 is a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic chain containing from about 1 to about 9 carbon atoms or a phenyl radical, R 2 is a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic chain containing from about 1 to about 3 carbon atoms, and R 3 and R 4 are hydrogen atoms, hydroxy or nitro groups is hydrogenated in the presence of a catalyst, said catalyst comprising a structure comprised of a Raney metal alloy surface layer integral with and derived from a selected nickel alloy monolithic substrate mesh structure, wherein said surface layer is predominantly derived from an adherent Ni x M 1-x Al 3 Beta phase structured crystalline precursory layer, where M is a catalytic activator selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, titanium, tantalum, ruthenium or mixtures thereof, and where x, the fraction of nickel in the combined weight of Ni and M, is within the range of from about 0.80 to about 0.95, said reactor comprising a reaction chamber containing a plurality of said mesh structures, means for feeding a mixture of hydrogen and said aromatic compound into said reactor to contact said mesh structure at a temperature and pressure sufficient to cause said hydrogenation reaction to occur, and means for withdrawing the reaction product from said reactor.

Claim 35

The reactor of claim 32 wherein said catalyst activator is molybdenum.

Claim 36

The reactor of claim 32 wherein said catalyst activator is ruthenium.

Claim 37

The reactor of claim 32 wherein said catalyst activator is tantalum.

Claim 38

The reactor of claim 32 wherein said catalyst activator is titanium.

Claim 39

The reactor of claim 33 wherein 1-x is between about 0.10 and about 0.18.

Claim 40

The reactor of claim 34 wherein 1-x is between about 0.05 and about 0.1.

Claim 41

The reactor of any one of claims 32 to 38 wherein said mesh core comprises an alloy of nickel and a catalytic activator, said alloy containing between about 80 and about 95% nickel by weight.

Claim 42

The reactor of claim 39 wherein said catalytic activator is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, ruthenium, tantalum, titanium, or mixtures thereof.