Glycerol dehydration to acrolein over activated carbon-supported silicotungstic acids

Activated carbon (AC)-supported silicotungstic acid (H-4[SiW12O40] center dot nH(2)O, HSiW) catalysts were employed to produce acrolein from glycerol dehydration. The results indicated that catalysts with 10% HSiW loading exhibited the highest activity and selectivity. The space time yield of acrolein reached 68.5 mmol/(g.h), which is the best result ever reported in the literature. The properties of the catalysts were closely related to the HSiW dispersion and the relative quantities of strong acid sites.