Optimization of operating conditions for anisole hydrodeoxygenation reaction over Zr-based metal–organic framework supported Pt catalyst

To optimize the operating conditions for catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of anisole in a continuous fixed-bed reactor, the response surface methodology combined with the central composite design was used to maximize the conversion by tuning the molar ratio of H₂ to anisole, temperature, and pressure, which are considered key parameters on catalytic reaction. Analysis of variance was used to determine the regression model's compatibility. The catalyst was prepared using a Zr-based metal–organic framework, UiO-67, as a support, which was synthesized under microwave-assisted solvothermal reaction, followed by loading Pt nanoparticles on its surface via a double solvent method. The results demonstrated that the obtained mathematical model accurately predicted the conversion, which was more greatly influenced by temperature in comparison with the H₂/anisole molar ratio and pressure in HDO reaction over the 3 wt% Pt/UiO-67 catalyst. Concurrently, the highest conversion of 92.5% was obtained under the optimum conditions: H₂/anisole molar ratio of 35.2, reaction temperature of 297.6 °C, and a reaction pressure of 12.8 bar. The relative error was only 1.08% when compared with experimental values obtained under near-optimum conditions. Furthermore, at high temperatures, the reaction pathway followed the demethoxylation trend, yielding cyclohexane and benzene as the main products.