SiO2-, Cu-, and Ni-supported Au nanoparticles for selective glycerol oxidation in the liquid phase.

We tested for the first time the efficiency of SiO 2 -, Cu-, and Ni-supported Au in deep glycerol oxidation in a diluted and viscous H 2 O 2 /H 2 O liquid phase. Acetic acid (AA), the C 2 oxidate, was preferentially formed in such a system. High conversion (100%) and AA yields (90%) were observed for the sol–gel SiO 2 -supported Au in diluted solutions. Although with the increase of glycerol concentration in the viscous liquid phase these values decreased to ca. 40% (conversion) and 20% (AA yield), the addition of acetonitrile improved the AA yield to ca. 40%, while the surfactants were found to be capable of a many-fold enhancement of the catalyst activity at the room temperature highly viscous liquid phase. High performances were also observed for the bimetallic Au/Cu and Au/Ni catalysts obtained by nano-Au transfer; however, these catalysts were destroyed during the reaction by the Cu or Ni leaching effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]