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I utilized a multifunctional catalyst to achieve the synthesis of enols. Publication date: 2024-12-12. Recently, the research team led by Researcher Huang Shengjun from the Group for Acid-Base Catalysis and Fine Chemical Synthesis using Low-Temperature Molecular Sieves (DNL0820 group) in the Department of Fossil Energy and Applied Catalysis Research at our institute made new progress in the study of enol synthesis; they developed an InNi-In@Al2O3 multifunctional catalytic system that enabled the synthesis of methacrylic alcohol under normal pressure and in continuous reaction conditions. Unsaturated alcohols such as methacroldehyde are important raw materials for the production of fine chemicals, and are widely used in the synthesis of fragrances, synthetic resins, high-efficiency water reducers, and other chemical products. Currently, the methods used in industry suffer from issues such as relatively complex process flows and high emissions of waste gases, waste liquids, and waste solids; therefore, it is practical to develop simpler and more efficient methods for synthesizing methacroldehyde. Selective hydrogenation of acraldehyde based on multiphase catalyst systems is one of the production methods with promising applications. However, conventional supported hydrogenation catalysts find it difficult to provide a catalytic pathway with high selectivity in the face of the competition between the “C=C” and “C=O” bonds in the feedstock molecules; as a result, the “C=C” bonds in the feedstock molecules are more readily hydrogenated and saturated to form isobutyraldehyde. Through in-depth analysis and experimental research, Huang Shengjun’s team proposed a multifunctional catalyst design strategy based on \"structure-matching\": by simultaneously introducing In into the metal-support system of conventional Ni/Al2O3, intergranular reaction centers of InNi were created that preferentially adsorb \"C=O\" bonds while inhibiting the adsorption of \"C=C\" bonds. The low-valent indium oxides (InOx) introduced into the Al2O3 support structure facilitate the generation of heterolytic hydrogen species. Studies have found that through these multiple functions, the selectivity for the selective synthesis of methacrylic alcohol from methacraldehyde is significantly improved (rising from an extremely low selectivity to 77%). This work provides a new approach for the synthesis of enol products under continuous reaction conditions. The relevant research results were published in the Chemical Engineering Journal under the title “Construction of structure-matching In-Ni catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of α-methylacrolein”.