Hydrogenolysis of 5-Carbon Sugar Alcohols

The scope of this work was to determine a catalyst preparation that would demonstrate the best yield to value added products to verily and complete this portion of the overall flowsheet from com fiber. The scope did not include mechanistic studies, which will be completed at a later date if resources allow. 

We evaluated a number of potential catalysts and conditions using xylitol as a model compound in a batch reactor. A catalyst was selected from this initial screening and examined in a continuous trickle-bed reactor to develop operating conditions. Finally, as resources allowed, the catalyst was evaluated in a trickle bed reactor to gain a concept of potential catalyst lifetime. 

Catalysts used in the trickle bed reactor were supplied by Engelhard Chemical Catalyst Group prepared industrially to match in-house prepared catalysts used in our initial screening. 

From previous experience with similar reactions, we chose the following catalysts for screening 2.5% ruthenium (Ru), 2.5% ruthenium / 0.5% rhenium (Ru/Re), 2.5% ruthenium / 2.5% rhenium (Ru/Re+), 2.5% nickel / 2.5% 

Catalyst Screening with Xylitol - Batch Reactor 

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