Effect of Tungsten Species on Selective Hydrogenolysis of Glycerol to 1,3-Propanediol

Abstract

Glycerol, as the major byproduct of biodiesel industry, is a cheap and green chemical feedstock. Following the expanded production of biodiesel, the oversupply of glycerol has led to increasing research of the catalytic conversion of glycerol. The selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol is an economical and sustainable way to produce 1,3-propanediol, which experiences a global growing demand, and valorize glycerol. However, the secondary hydroxy group of glycerol is sterically hindered by two primary hydroxy groups. As a result, 1,2-propanediol is the preferential product rather than 1,3-propanediol during conventional hydrogenolysis of glycerol. Currently, tungsten-containing bifunctional catalysts with metal and Brønsted acid sites are considered as a highly effective and atom-economical catalytic system for the selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol. Therefore, this Minireview summarized various tungsten-containing bifunctional catalysts for the hydrogenolysis of glycerol in detail and deeply discussed the relationship between tungsten species, metal active sites, and glycerol for selectively producing 1,3-propanediol.

Keywords: 1,3-propanediol; bifunctional catalyst; glycerol; hydrogenolysis; tungsten species.