Kinetics of the cross aldol condensation of valeraldehyde with
cyclopentanone was investigated in a batch reactor under atmospheric
pressure at 130 °C using heterogeneous metal modified oxides, such as
CeO₂–MgO, FeO–MgO, FeO–CaO as well as pristine CaO as
catalysts. The catalysts were prepared either by evaporation
impregnation or deposition precipitation methods and characterized by
XRD, TEM, SEM, nitrogen adsorption, ammonia and CO₂ TPD. The
results revealed that an optimum amount of strong basic sites gives the
highest ratio between cross condensation and self-condensation products
of valeraldehyde. The highest yield of the desired product
2-pentylidenecyclopentanone (66%) was obtained with FeO–MgO prepared by
the deposition precipitation methods.