Tin-containing zeolites are highly active catalysts for the isomerization of glucose in water

Journal Article · Tue Apr 06 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1002358107· OSTI ID:1064746

Moliner, Manuel ^[1]; Roman-Leshkov, Yuriy ^[1]; Davis, Mark E. ^[1]

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1. California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)

The isomerization of glucose into fructose is a large-scale reaction for the production of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS; reaction performed by enzyme catalysts) and recently is being considered as an intermediate step in the possible route of biomass to fuels and chemicals. Here, it is shown that a large-pore zeolite that contains tin (Sn-Beta) is able to isomerize glucose to fructose in aqueous media with high activity and selectivity. Specifically, a 10% (wt/wt) glucose solution containing a catalytic amount of Sn-Beta (1:50 Sn:glucose molar ratio) gives product yields of approximately 46% (wt/wt) glucose, 31% (wt/wt) fructose, and 9% (wt/wt) mannose after 30 min and 12 min of reaction at 383 K and 413 K, respectively. This reactivity is achieved also when a 45 wt% glucose solution is used. The properties of the large-pore zeolite greatly influence the reaction behavior because the reaction does not proceed with a medium-pore zeolite, and the isomerization activity is considerably lower when the metal centers are incorporated in ordered mesoporous silica (MCM-41). The Sn-Beta catalyst can be used for multiple cycles, and the reaction stops when the solid is removed, clearly indicating that the catalysis is occurring heterogeneously. Most importantly, the Sn-Beta catalyst is able to perform the isomerization reaction in highly acidic, aqueous environments with equivalent activity and product distribution as in media without added acid. This enables Sn-Beta to couple isomerizations with other acid-catalyzed reactions, including hydrolysis/isomerization or isomerization/dehydration reaction sequences [starch to fructose and glucose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) demonstrated here].

• Research Organization: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC); Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation (CCEI)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE SC Office of Basic Energy Sciences (SC-22)
• DOE Contract Number: SC0001004
• OSTI ID: 1064746
• Journal Information: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A., Journal Name: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 107; ISSN 0027-8424
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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materials and chemistry by design
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