Highly efficient super activated carbon supported ultra-low loading copper catalyst for the oxidative carbonylation of methanol to dimethyl carbonate

A series of copper catalysts with loading less than 1.0 wt% supported on super activated carbon (SAC, 2403 m(2).g(-1)) as well as commercial activated carbon (AC, 1297 m(2).g(-1)) were produced by the wet-impregnation process and applied in methanol oxidative carbonylation to generate dimethyl carbonate (DMC). The 0.5Cu/SAC catalyst showed highly dispersed Cu nanoparticles (NPs, similar to 2.2 nm) and exhibited a turnover frequency (44.6 h(-1)) about four times higher than that of 0.5Cu/AC. The characterization results indicate that the large specific surface area of SAC greatly promoted the dispersion of Cu NPs. In addition, the abundant oxygen-containing groups on SAC enhanced interaction between Cu NPs and carbon support, which maintained the concentration of active Cu-0 sites and facilitated high stability of Cu/SAC catalysts during the reaction. This research provided a novel strategy for fabricating low loading Cu-based catalysts with commercial prospects for the DMC synthesis.