A ZnCl2-modified ion exchange resin as the catalyst for bisphenol-A synthesis was prepared by the ion exchange method. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FT-IR), thermo gravimetric analyzer (TGA) and pyridine adsorbed IR were employed to characterize the catalyst. As a result, the modified catalyst showed high acidity and good thermal stability. Zn2+ coordinated with a sulfonic acid group to form a stable active site, which effectively decreased the deactivation caused by the degradation of sulfonic acid. Thus the prepared catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic activity, selectivity and stability compared to the unmodified counterpart.Zn2+ coordinated with the sulfonic acid groups to form a stable active site, making ZnCl2 modified ion exchange resin an efficient catalyst for the bisphenol-A production from acetone and phenol.

Macroreticular ion exchange resin catalysts were prepared by suspension polymerization, and then modified by alkylmercaptoamines. The modified catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption/desorption measurements, scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Key factors such as the mercaptan content, the degree of crosslinking and the structures of the promoters were investigated for the synthesis of Bisphenol A (BPA). At optimal conditions, the macroreticular ion exchange resin catalysts modified by alkylmercaptoamines showed high catalytic activity and selectivity for BPA synthesis.

•Multimetallic catalysts with hydrophobic supports were prepared.•They efficiently catalyzed oxidative esterification of MAL with CH3OH and O2 to MMA.•High MAL conversion and MMA selectivity were obtained in mild reaction condition.•These catalysts proved to be stable and recyclable.The direct oxidative esterification of methacrolein (MAL) with methanol and oxygen to methyl methacrylate (MMA) was carried out over Pb and Bi-doped hydrophobic styrene-divinyl benzene copolymer (SDB) supported Pd catalyst under mild conditions. The Pd–Pb–Bi/SDB catalyst showed higher activity than bimetallic Pd–Pb/SDB and Pd–Bi/SDB, and much higher than monometallic Pd/SDB catalyst and hydrophilic catalysts. The multi-metallic catalysts were prepared through step impregnation method and characterized by N2 adsorption–desorption isotherm, environment scanning electron microscope (ESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that addition of Pb and Bi to Pd catalyst produced an important decrease in the metallic particle size, and the intermetallic Pd3Pb and PdBi crystals were found in the multi-metallic catalysts, which facilitate the excellent performance of multi-metallic catalyst.Catalytic activities of Pd catalysts with hydrophobic SDB as carrier were higher than Pd3/γ-Al2O3 and Pd3/SiO2 since the hydrophobicity of SDB can prevent generated water covering the active sites. Catalytic performance of tri-metallic catalysts with Pb and Bi as promoters was higher than mono-metallic catalyst Pd3/SDB.