The Open Catalysis Journal

2011, 4 : 83-87
Published online 2011 April 14. DOI: 10.2174/1876214X01104010083
Publisher ID: TOCATJ-4-83

Selective Gas-Phase Conversion of Glycerol to Acetol Over Promoted Zirconia Solid Acid Catalysts

Gangadhara Raju , Padigapati S. Reddy and Benjaram M. Reddy
Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad - 500 607, India.

ABSTRACT

The vapour phase selective conversion of glycerol to acetol at normal atmospheric pressure in a fixed-bed micro reactor was investigated over SO42- and WOx promoted ZrO2 and M-ZrO2 (M = Al2O3 or TiO2) solid acid catalysts. The investigated sulfate and tungstate ion promoted zirconia-based catalysts were prepared by both coprecipitation and impregnation methods and calcined at 923 K. The synthesized catalysts were characterized by means of X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, BET surface area and ammonia temperature-programmed desorption methods. Characterization results suggest that SO42- promoter strongly influences the physicochemical properties of the support oxides than WOx. However, the WOx promoted catalysts exhibited better catalytic activity than SO42- promoted catalysts. Among various catalysts investigated, the WOx/Al2O3-ZrO2 catalyst exhibited stable catalytic activity with the highest glycerol conversion of 99% and acetol selectivity of 74%..