High Performance Ru Loaded MgO Nanoparticle Catalysts for the Hydrogenation of Pyrrole to Pyrrolidine

Abstract

This research is centered on the design and synthesis of a highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst, 1%Ru-MgO- 400 °C, for the hydrogenation of pyrrole to pyrrolidine. As a key intermediate in pharmaceutical manufacturing and fine chemical production, pyrrolidine synthesis poses significant challenges in terms of efficiency. In this work, MgO was synthesized via the calcination of Mg(OH)₂, followed by the deposition of Ru onto MgO- 400 °C through a sodium borohydride reduction approach to produce the 1%Ru-MgO- 400 °C catalyst. The catalyst demonstrated exceptional performance under conditions of 170 °C and 3.5 MPa H₂ pressure, achieving complete conversion of pyrrole and a 100% yield of pyrrolidine. Advanced characterization methods such as XRD, TG, BET, SEM and HR-TEM were used to analyze the catalyst, revealing that the ruthenium nanoparticles were uniformly loaded on the MgO carrier to form a highly dispersed active site, while the crystal structure of MgO remained intact with excellent thermal stability, providing a structural basis for the efficient performance of the catalyst. Additionally, the catalyst exhibited remarkable stability and retained high activity over multiple reaction cycles, highlighting its suitability for industrial-scale applications. The findings of this study contribute novel perspectives to the development of robust and efficient hydrogenation catalysts and present a sustainable approach for the environmentally friendly synthesis of pyrrolidine.

Graphic Abstract