Recent Advances in Catalytic Conversion of Glycerol

Abstract

The article underlines and discusses the state-of-the-art accomplishments in the catalytic conversion of glycerol (1,2,3-propanetriol) to fuels and value-added chemicals in the past five years (2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012). The reactions include steam reforming, aqueous-phase reforming, hydrogenolysis, oxidation, dehydration, esterification, etherification, carboxylation, acetalization, and chlorination. Typical products are hydrogen, propanediols, dihydroxyacetone, glyceric acid, acrolein, glyceride, polyglycerol, glycerol carbonate, acetals, ketals, and epichlorohydrine. Recent studies on the catalysts, reaction conditions, and possible pathways are primarily discussed. They indicate that major breakthroughs are achieved by the use of multifunctional catalysts, process intensification and integrated reactions. Literature survey suggests that future work on the catalytic conversion of glycerol for commercial goals particularly requires new catalysts, innovative reactor engineering, and close multidisciplinary partnership.

Upgrading Lignocellulosic Biomasses: Hydrogenolysis of Platform Derived Molecules Promoted by Heterogeneous Pd-Fe Catalysts

“…Glycerol (C3 polyol), the main by-product obtained from the biodiesel production, is gaining importance as bio-feedstock to produce chemicals, because of the growing worldwide expansion of biofuels [31][32][33]. An attractive valorization route is the selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol because it is a clean and economically competitive process that allows production of different valuable chemicals such as 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PDO), 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO), ethylene glycol (EG) and C1-C3 alcohols [34].…”

“…Sorbitol (C6 polyol), xylitol (C5 polyol) and glycerol (C3 polyol) have been included, by the USA Department of Energy, in the list of 12 potential biomass-derived platform chemicals [30]. Moreover, among the family of biomass derived polyols, glycerol (C3 polyol) has become a primary building block being the main by-product in the biodiesel production [31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38]. Hemicellulose, unlike cellulose, has a heterogeneous chemical structure of pentoses, hexoses and sugar acids.…”

Silica deposition as an approach for improving the hydrothermal stability of an alumina support during glycerol aqueous phase reforming

“…Compared to more conventional hydrogen production routes, such as steam reforming, partial oxidation and autothermal reforming, APR is usually operated at a relative low temperature in a single reaction step. Under these conditions, the water-gas shift reaction is thermodynamically favourable, resulting in efficient H 2 production and a lower CO concentration in the product stream [11,12].…”

“…As a result, hydrogen production from glycerol via so-called aqueous phase reforming (APR) has received considerable attention [4][5][6][7][8]. Glycerol has been identified as an attractive biomass-derived feedstock being produced in large amounts as a by-product of biodiesel production [9][10][11]. Compared to more conventional hydrogen production routes, such as steam reforming, partial oxidation and autothermal reforming, APR is usually operated at a relative low temperature in a single reaction step.…”

Bioglycerol-based Sulphonic Acid Functionalized Carbon: An Efficient and Recyclable, Solid Acid Catalyst for the Regioselective Azidolysis of Epoxides in Aqueous Acetonitrile

“…It can be prepared also by hydrogenolysis of glucose or other saccharides from propylene, but this route is at present economically unpleasant as a result of high crude oil prices. The rapid growth of the biodiesel industry has resulted in an oversupply of bioglycerol, which has become a burden until new markets are created for bioglycerol by the development of new products 1,2 . Huge amounts of sulphuric acid as homogenous catalyst is being consumed worldwide for the production of industrially important chemicals.…”