Cracking of cellulose over supported metal catalysts

Cellulose is cracked over supported Pt or Ru catalysts under hydrogenolysis conditions in water to give sorbitol as a main product. Among the catalysts tested, Pt/gamma-Al2O3 gave the highest yield and selectivity, and this catalyst was recyclable in repeated runs. It is proposed that cellulose is hydrolyzed by in situ generated acid sites to form glucose, and glucose is immediately reduced to sorbitol over the metal catalyst.