Ni/SiO₂ and SiO₂ supported Ni₂In, NiIn and Ni₂In₃ intermetallic compounds (IMCs) were prepared by the sol-gel method and tested for the selective hydrogenation of methyl esters to fatty alcohols. It was found that the Ni phyllosilicate formed during the sol-gel process leads to high Ni dispersion. In IMCs, the Ni atoms are homogeneously isolated by the In ones and the charge is transferred from In to Ni. In the selective hydrogenation, decarbonylation/decarboxylation dominatingly occur on Ni/SiO₂, while SiO₂ supported IMCs mainly give fatty alcohols, and the yield of fatty alcohol can reach above 94 %. We suggest that it is the synergetic effect between Ni and In that facilitates the selective hydrogenation to yield fatty alcohols. The catalyst stability was also investigated, and the catalyst deactivation is mainly ascribed to the carbonaceous deposit.

通过溶胶-凝胶法制备了Ni / SiO ₂和SiO ₂负载的Ni ₂ In，NiIn和Ni ₂ In ₃金属间化合物（IMC），并测试了甲酯选择性氢化为脂肪醇的能力。发现在溶胶-凝胶过程中形成的Ni页硅酸盐导致Ni的高分散。在IMC中，Ni原子被In原子均匀隔离，电荷从In转移到Ni。在选择性氢化中，Ni / SiO ₂上主要发生脱羰/脱羧，而SiO _2上支持的IMC主要产生脂肪醇，脂肪醇的收率可达到94％以上。我们认为，正是Ni和In之间的协同作用促进了选择性氢化以生产脂肪醇。还研究了催化剂的稳定性，并且催化剂失活主要归因于碳质沉积物。