Structure Sensitivity in the Hydrodechlorination of Chlorophenols

The gas phase hydrodechlorination of methanolic and mixed methanol/water solutions of 2-chlorophenol, 2,6-dichlorophenol, 2,4,5-trichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol has been studied at 573 K over nickel/silica catalysts of varying (1.5–20.3 wt.% Ni) nickel loading. Each catalyst was 100% selective in promoting hydrodechlorination: the variation of catalytic activity and selectivity with time-on-stream is illustrated and catalyst deactivation is addressed. Dechlorination is quantified in terms of specific rate constants, phenol selectivity/yield and chlorine removal efficiencies. Increasing the nickel loading resulted in a marked increase in dechlorination efficiency while the introduction of water into the feed lowered the activity.