Production of 1,3-propanediol by hydrogenolysis of glycerol catalyzed by Pt/WO3/ZrO2

Glycerol hydrogenolysis was catalyzed by Pt/WO3/ZrO2 to give 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) in the yields up to 24%. The catalytic activities and the selectivity toward 1,3-PD were remarkably affected by the type of support, loaded noble metal (NM) and the preparation/impregnation procedure. Controlled experiments show that the active site of catalyst for the formation of 1,3-PD may be the Pt over WO3 supported on ZrO2. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.