SUMMARY
The proper selection of transition metals and support is pivotal to the design of active and selective catalysts for maleic anhydride hydrogenation (MAH). Herein, the M/CeO2-d (M = Co, Ni, Cu, respectively) catalysts with pre-optimised metal loading of 10 wt % were prepared via a wet impregnation method and well characterized to corroborate their MAH performance with the properties of metal, support and the M/CeO2-d catalysts. The results revealed that the metal dispersion on the catalyst declines in the order of Ni/CeO2-d > Co/CeO2-d > Cu/CeO2-d, similar to the apparent activity for maleic anhydride (MA) transformation to succinic anhydride (SA). The hydrogenolysis of SA to ?-butyrolactone (GBL) occurs on Ni/CeO2-d and Co/CeO2-d only when the MA ? SA transformation completing. The Ni/CeO2-d displays superior activity and selectivity to Co/CeO2-d in both MA ? SA and SA ? GBL reactions, while the Cu/CeO2-d and CeO2-d are both inert for SA ? GBL hydrogenolysis. The MA hydrogenation to SA follows the first order kinetic law on the Ni/CeO2-d and Co/CeO2-d catalysts yet a more complex kinetic characteristics observed on the Cu/CeO2-d. The distinct catalytic hydrogenation behaviours of the M/CeO2-d catalysts are assigned to the synergism of dispersion and electronic configuration of the transition metals and oxygen vacancies.