Isomerization of glucose into fructose over Mg-Al hydrotalcite catalysts

Isomerization of glucose into fructose was carried out over as-synthesized Mg-Al hydrotalcite (HT_A), calcined Mg-Al hydrotalcite (HT_C), and rehydrated Mg-Al hydrotalcite (HT_R) catalysts. The experimental results revealed that HT_R catalyst retained abundant weak base sites through exfoliation and vertical breaking of layers in the hydrotalcite structure during the rehydration process, leading to the enhanced catalytic performance of HT_R in this reaction. This means that rehydration process served an efficient method for increasing the catalytic performance of hydrotalcite in the isomerization of glucose into fructose. Reaction temperature and time also played a key role in determining the catalytic performance in this reaction. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.