The coupling process of dehydrogenation of 1,4-butanediol with hydrogenation of maleic anhydride over Cr-Cu/SiO₂ catalysts to produce one important fine chemical γ-butyrolactone was studied, which shows advantages over the conventional processes. Cr improved the selectivity to γ-butyrolactone and conversion of 1,4-butanediol. The conversion of 1,4-butanediol and maleic anhydride reached 100%, and the selectivity to γ-butyrolactone was 98.8% over w＝5% Cr₂O₃ modified Cr-Cu/SiO₂. The results of XRD, XPS and TPR revealed that Cr improved the dispersion of Cu and had the electron donating effect on Cu. There are more Cu^＋ species on reduced Cr-Cu/SiO₂ than Cu/SiO₂. Cu^＋ is beneficial for dehydrogenation of 1,4-butanediol and the coupling process.

Key words: maleic anhydride, 1,4-butanediol, γ-butyrolactone, coupling process, Cr-Cu/SiO₂