RUTHENIUM-BASED CATALYST AND USE THEREOF IN THE SELECTIVE HYDROGENATION OF AROMATIC OR POLYUNSATURATED COMPOUNDS

An object of the present invention relates to a catalyst suitable for the selective hydrogenation of aromatic or polyunsaturated compounds, comprising: - a zirconia carrier (ZrO2) - ruthenium - iron oxide (Fe2O3) - at least one promoter (A) selected from the oxides of metals of groups IB, IIB and IIIA - at least one promoter (B) containing V, Ti, Hf, Zr or a mixture thereof, obtained by hydrolysis of at least one precursor P-B selected from the following metal arenes: V DEG (arene)2 (I) V(arene)2 AlCl4 (II) M ([eta]6-arene) pAlqXr (III) M([eta]6-arene)p'Alq'Xr'Rs (IV) wherein : - V represents vanadium, - Al represents aluminium, - M represents zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), titanium (Ti) or mixtures thereof, preferably titanium or zirconium; - arene represents a benzene, or a benzene substituted by from 1 to 6 linear or branched C1-C6 alkyl groups, or mixtures thereof; - X represents a halogen atom, selected from chlorine, bromine, fluorine, iodine, preferably chlorine; - R represents a linear or branched C1-C15 alkyl group; - p represents a number ranging from 1 to 2; - q is a number ranging from 2 to 6, preferably from 2 to 3; - r is a number ranging from 8 to 20, preferably from 8 to 11; - p represents a number ranging from 1 to 2; - q' is a number ranging from 2 to 6, preferably from 2 to 3; - r' is a number ranging from 2 to 20, preferably from 6 to 9; - s is a number ranging from 1 to 6, preferably 2. The catalyst of the invention is used in a process for the selective hydrogenation of aromatic or polyunsaturated compounds, particularly in the selective hydrogenation of benzene or cyclohexene.