In Situ-Generated, Dispersed Cu Catalysts for the Catalytic Hydrogenolysis of Glycerol

The present study is dedicated to the experimental verification of a concept for the hydrogenolysis of glycerol over in situ-generated Cu dispersed particles (Cu-DP). The Cu-DP were generated by in situ reduction of a precursor salt (Cu(OAc)(2), CuSO4, CuCl2) in the presence of KOH and were active in glycerol conversion under hydrogen (T = 200-220 degrees C, p(H-2) = 1-4 MPa), where 1,2-propylene glycol (PG) and lactic acid (LA) were detected to be the main products. The influence of the reaction conditions (temperature, hydrogen pressure, reaction time, catalyst-to-feed ratio and the KOH/Cu ratio) on the yields of the products is described. It was shown that the selectivity between the PG and LA could be tuned by changing p(H-2) or by the KOH amount, i.e., higher yields of LA corresponded to lower p(H-2) and higher alkalinity of the reaction media. The activity of the in situ-generated Cu-DP was found to be comparable to that of an industrial Cu-Cr2O3 catalyst. The Cu-DP catalysts were characterized by XRD, XPS, HRTEM and SEM. During the reaction, the catalyst evolved by the sintering and recrystallization of the separate Cu-DP; the crystallite sizes after 1 and 15 h reaction times amounted to 35 and 49 nm, respectively.

Automated summary

The present study experimentally verifies a concept for the hydrogenolysis of glycerol using in situ-generated copper dispersed particles (Cu-DP). It shows that the selectivity between 1,2-propylene glycol and lactic acid can be tuned by adjusting hydrogen pressure or alkalinity. The activity of the in situ-generated Cu-DP catalyst is comparable to that of an industrial Cu-Cr2O3 catalyst.