Catalysts and process for hydrogenolysis of sugar alcohols to polyols

Patent · Tue Sep 18 00:00:00 EDT 2001

OSTI ID:874005

Chopade, Shubham P ^[1]; Miller, Dennis J ^[2]; Jackson, James E ^[3]; Werpy, Todd A ^[4]; Frye, Jr., John G ^[5]; Zacher, Alan H ^[5]

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1. East Lansing, MI
2. Okemos, MI
3. Haslett, MI
4. West Richland, WA
5. Richland, WA

The present invention provides a process for preparation of low molecular weight polyols from high molecular weight polyols in a hydrogenolysis reaction under elevated temperature and hydrogen pressure. The process comprises providing in a reaction mixture the polyols, a base, and a metal catalyst prepared by depositing a transition metal salt on an inert support, reducing the metal salt to the metal with hydrogen, and passivating the metal with oxygen, and wherein the catalyst is reduced with hydrogen prior to the reaction. In particular, the process provides for the preparation of glycerol, propylene glycol, and ethylene glycol from sugar alcohols such as sorbitol or xylitol. In a preferred process, the metal catalyst comprises ruthenium which is deposited on an alumina, titania, or carbon support, and the dispersion of the ruthenium on the support increases during the hydrogenolysis reaction.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• Assignee: Board of Trustees operating Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI); Battelle Memorial Institute, Pacific Northwest Laboratory (Richland, WA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6291725
• Application Number: 09/518,860
• OSTI ID: 874005
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

catalysts
process
hydrogenolysis
sugar
alcohols
polyols
provides
preparation
molecular
weight
reaction
elevated
temperature
hydrogen
pressure
comprises
providing
mixture
base
metal
catalyst
prepared
depositing
transition
salt
inert
support
reducing
passivating
oxygen
reduced
prior
particular
glycerol
propylene
glycol
ethylene
sorbitol
xylitol
preferred
ruthenium
deposited
alumina
titania
carbon
dispersion
increases
catalyst comprises
propylene glycol
process provides
ethylene glycol
comprises providing
elevated temperature
transition metal
molecular weight
reaction mixture
metal salt
process comprises
metal catalyst
hydrogen pressure
weight poly
preferred process
inert support
carbon support
catalyst prepared
weight polyols
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