Synthesis of chemicals from glycerol with gold-based catalysts

摘要

Glycerol is a bio-renewable resource that can be useful in the synthesis of many useful chemical intermediates. For example, glycerol can be oxidized in high selectivity to glyceric acid using supported gold catalysts. By controlling the reaction conditions very high selectivities to glyceric acid can be obtained. Additionally, the reaction of glycerol with urea to form glycerol carbonate is a very attractive reaction which utilises two inexpensive and readily available raw materials. Typically homogeneous catalysts based on metal sulfates have been found to be effective catalysts and it is recognised that a heterogeneous catalysts would be preferred. We have now found that supported gold catalysts are very effective heterogeneous catalysts for this reaction. In this presentation these reactions will be discussed.