Platinum tartronic acid oxidation

Under acidic conditions, bismuth-promoted platinum catalysts selectively oxidise the secondary hydroxy function of glyceric and tartronic acids to their respective keto-acids hydroxypyruvic and mesoxalic acids. A complexing mechanism is proposed to increase the rate of oxidation of the secondary hydroxy function. 

By using close-to-neutral conditions for the catalytic oxidation of glyceric and tartronic acids on platinum-bismuth catalysts to their respective keto derivatives, deactivation of the catalyst by adsorbed acids may be reduced, leading to higher degrees of conversion and improved yields. In addition, higher loadings of bismuth promoter may also serve to reduce deactivation by adsorbed acids. 

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