Hydrogenation Properties of Nanostructured Tungsten Carbide Catalysts in a Continuous-Flow Reactor

Tungsten monocarbide (WC) obtained through a urea glass route showed a high activity and chemoselectivity for the continuous-flow reduction of a variety of nitro compounds under milder conditions than those reported previously. The favorable effect of the nanostructure was shown by comparison with other commercially available WC materials. Moreover, WC functioned as an efficient support for Ni nanoparticles. This expanded its range of applicability and led to a bimetallic Ni@WC composite characterized by a high activity for the hydrogenation of cardanol, a phenolic lipid obtained from cashew nut shells.