Selective hydrogenation of lactic acid to 1,2-propanediol over highly active ruthenium-molybdenum oxide catalysts

Yasuyuki Takeda, Tomohiro Shoji, Hideo Watanabe, Masazumi Tamura, Yoshinao Nakagawa, Kazu Okumura, Keiichi Tomishige

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

67 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Modification of Ru/C with a small amount of MoOx (Ru-MoOx/C) enhanced the catalytic activity in the hydrogenation of L-lactic acid to form 1,2-propanediol and maintained high selectivity. The turnover frequency based on the amount of Ru over the optimized Ru-MoOx/C catalyst (Mo/Ru molar ratio=1:16) was 114 h-1 at 393 K, which was about 4 times higher than that over Ru/C. The same effect of MoOx was obtained over Ru-MoOx/SiO2, although Ru-MoOx/SiO2 showed slightly lower activity than that of Ru-MoOx/C. Ru-MoOx/C achieved a high yield of 95 % in 18 h at 393 K and was applicable to various carboxylic acids to provide the corresponding alcohols in high yields. Modification with MoOx also brought about suppression of racemization and (S)-1,2-propanediol was obtained in high enantiomeric excess at 353 K. Based on kinetic analysis and characterization data, such as XRD, TEM, CO adsorption by a volumetric method, FTIR spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, for Ru-MoOx/C and Ru-MoOx/SiO2, the catalyst structure and reaction mechanism are proposed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1170-1178
Number of pages9
JournalChemSusChem
Volume8
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015 Apr 13

Keywords

  • carboxylic acids
  • enantioselectivity
  • hydrogenation
  • molybdenum
  • ruthenium

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Chemical Engineering(all)
  • Materials Science(all)
  • Energy(all)

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