This work demonstrates that Cu-B2O3/SiO2 is an effective catalyst for synthesis of fatty alcohols from hydrogenolysis of fatty acid esters. Boron oxide not only acts as a textural promoter to increase the dispersion of copper, but also as a structural promoter to decrease the activation energy of hydrogenolysis by 10 kJ/mol. The optimum loading of boron oxide doped is around 6.4 wt%. This chromium-free copper catalyst is seven times as active as the commercial copper chromite (Engelhard Cu-1234E) in the hydrogenolysis of methyl esters at 240 degrees C, 110 bar. Cu-B2O3(6.4%)/SiO2 is a promising catalyst for lower pressure (<150 bar) hydrogenolysis processes.
