Hydrogenolysis of biomass-derived sorbitol to glycols and glycerol over Ni-MgO catalysts.

Abstract: Ni-MgO catalysts with varying Ni/Mg ratios were prepared by co-precipitation and tested in sorbitol hydrogenolysis. At 473K and 4MPaH2, the best catalyst with Ni/Mg ratio of 3:7 exhibited 67.8% conversion and 80.8% total selectivity of ethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol and glycerol. These catalysts were characterized by XRD, CO2-TPD and H2 chemisorption, revealing that the activity depended strongly on the basicity and Ni surface area. The reaction conditions were optimized, which were relatively mild for this chemoselective conversion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]