Ruthenium catalysts on a SiO2 carrier for the catalytic hydrogenation of saccharides

摘要

Providing a ruthenium catalyst for the production of sugar alcohols. Ruthenium catalysts (I) are prepared by: (A) a single or multiple treatment of an amorphous silicon dioxide support material with a halogen free solution of a low mol. wt. ruthenium compound followed by drying at below 200 [deg]C; (B) reduction of the resulting solid with hydrogen at 100-350 [deg]C such that step (B) is carried out immediately after step (A). An independent claim is included for a process for the production of sugar alcohols by catalytic hydrogenation of the corresponding mono- and oligosaccharides in the liquid phase at the heterogeneous catalyst (I), excluding a process for the production of sorbitol.