title: Hydrogenolysis of 1,2-propanediol for the production of biopropanols from glycerol.
abstract: Production of propanols from glycerol, which are known as biopropanols, requires catalysts for the hydrogenolysis of 1,2-propanediol, which has been easily derived from glycerol. It is found that the Rh/SiO(2) catalysts modified with ReO(x) species exhibited high activity and selectivity in the hydrogenolysis of 1,2-propanediol to propanols with low selectivity to degradation products and high stability. The optimized Rh--ReO(x)/SiO(2) (Re/Rh=0.5) catalyst gave high yields of 1-propanol (66 %) and propanols (1-propanol +2-propanol) (85 %) in the hydrogenolysis of 1,2-propanediol. In addition, the catalyst was applicable to the one-pot conversion of glycerol to propanols. The structure of Rh metal particles with attached ReO(x) clusters is suggested from the catalyst characterization. It is proposed that 1,2-propanediol hydrogenolysis proceeds by the hydrogenolysis of the alkoxide species on Re with hydrogen species on the Rh metal surface.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1, Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Amada
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koso
authors.forename: Yoshinao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomishige
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D020005:Propanols / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D019946:Propylene Glycol / Q000737:chemistry*; D012238:Rhodium
chemical_list: D020005:Propanols; D019946:Propylene Glycol; D006859:Hydrogen; D012238:Rhodium; D005990:Glycerol