Hydrodehalogenation of 4-chlorophenol and 4-bromophenol over Pd–Fe/Al2O3: influence of catalyst reduction conditions

The reduction of monometallic Pd/Al₂O₃ and bimetallic PdFe/Al₂O₃ catalysts produced by co-impregnation or sequential impregnation of the support with metal salts was possible not only under high temperature hydrogen treatment but also at 30 °C under the action of aqueous phenol solution and hydrogen. According to the XPS data, both reduction routes provided sufficient degrees of Pd reduction required for fast hydrodehalogenation of 4-chlorophenol and 4-bromophenol to phenol in aqueous solutions. The degree of Pd reduction was higher in the co-impregnated bimetallic PdFe catalyst, which was more efficient in transformation of 4-bromophenol; the bimetallic catalysts were more stable than the monometallic Pd one in the conversion of 4-chlorophenol.