Composites Based on Nanodispersed Nickel, Graphene-Like Carbon, and Aerosil for Catalytic Hydrogenation of Furfural and Quinoline

It is shown that a composite containing nickel nanoparticles and carboneous multi-layer graphene-like particles on aerosil, prepared by pyrolysis of deposited nickel complex with melamine, catalyzes hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol as well as hydrogenation of quinoline to 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline. The highest yield of hydrogenation products (27% of furfuryl alcohol at 100°C, 30 atm H₂, and 25% of quinoline at 100°C, 100 atm H₂) is achieved with the use of composites with higher nickel content (8.4%) and higher size of defect-free graphene areas (ratio of band intensities I_D/I_G in Raman spectrum 0.9).