Abstract:
Nano CeO
2 catalysts were prepared using cerium-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as both the cerium source and template, and were subsequently applied in the catalytic synthesis of methyl 2,4-toluenedicarbamate (TDC) from 2,4-toluenediamine (TDA) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC). The catalytic performances of CeO
2 prepared by the DES template method, hydrothermal method, mechanical grinding method, and commercial CeO
2 were systematically compared. The results showed that the DES template method effectively inhibited the grain growth of CeO
2, yielding CeO
2 with smaller grain size, higher oxygen vacancy content and acid amount, as well as a higher proportion of medium-strong acid sites and Lewis acid sites on its surface. Consequently, the DES-derived CeO
2 exhibited the best catalytic performance. Under the reaction conditions of 170 ℃, 8 h, m
catal/m
TDA = 1, and
nDMC/
nTDA = 20, the TDA conversion reached 100.0% and the TDC selectivity was 82.6%. Moreover, the catalyst prepared by this method demonstrated good stability in the TDC synthesis reaction. Furthermore, a series of CeO
2 catalysts with different particle sizes were prepared by adjusting the calcination temperature. It was found that the particle size of CeO
2 influenced its oxygen vacancy content and acid site distribution, thereby affecting its catalytic performance: the selectivity to TDC decreased with increasing particle size. When the CeO
2 particle size was smaller than 8.4 nm, TDA was completely converted; further increase in particle size led to a decrease in TDA conversion.