Hydrogenolysis of glycerol over a highly active CuO/ZnO catalyst prepared by an oxalate gel method: influence of solvent and reaction temperature on catalyst deactivation

The hydrogenolysis of glycerol was performed in an autoclave at temperatures between 190 and 225 degrees C and at a H(2) pressure of 5 MPa over a CuO/ZnO catalyst prepared by an oxalate gel (OG) method. Compared to a CuO/ZnO catalyst prepared by coprecipitation, much higher conversions of glycerol and space-time yields up to 9.8 g(propylene) (glycol) g(Cu)(-1) h(-1) are achieved with CuO/ZnO-OG, whereas both catalysts produced propylene glycol with selectivities of about 90%. Additionally, the influence of the temperature and the solvent was examined. Compared to a conversion of glycerol of only 5% in an aqueous glycerol solution, the use of 1,2-butanediol as a solvent leads to a high conversion of 55%. Moreover, experiments were carried out in pure glycerol and from transmission electron microscopy images of fresh and spent catalysts, it was obvious that the morphology of the catalyst changed during the reaction. By X-ray diffraction and N(2)O chemisorption, it was proved that a tremendous loss of copper surface area occurred during the hydrogenolysis of glycerol. Taking together the influence of the solvent on the conversion of glycerol and the results of the catalyst characterization, it can be concluded that water, as an unavoidable by-product of the reaction, is responsible for a strong deactivation of the catalyst.