Hydrogenolysis of 5-carbon sugars, sugar alcohols, and methods of making propylene glycol
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsTodd A. Werpy, John G. Frye JR., Alan H. Zacher, Dennis J. Miller
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Abstract
Methods and compositions for reactions of hydrogen over a Re-containing catalyst with compositions containing a 5-carbon sugar, sugar alcohol, or lactic acid are described. It has been surprisingly discovered that reaction with hydrogen over a Re-containing multimetallic catalyst resulted in superior conversion and selectivity to desired products such as propylene glycol. A process for the synthesis of PG from lactate or lactic acid is also described.
Claims19
A hydrogenolysis method comprising:
- reacting a composition with hydrogen, at a temperature of at least 120° C., and in the presence of a solid catalyst;
- wherein the composition comprises a component selected from the group consisting of:
- a 5 carbon sugar, a 5 carbon sugar alcohol, and lactic acid;
- and
- wherein the solid catalyst comprises a rhenium-containing multimetallic catalyst.
A composition of matter comprising:
- a solid rhenium-containing multimetallic catalyst;
- water, hydrogen;
- and
- a 5 carbon sugar or a 5 carbon sugar alcohol.
A method of making propylene glycol, comprising:
- reacting a composition comprising lactate or lactic acid with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst;
- wherein acid is added to the composition prior to the step of reacting;
- wherein the lactate or lactic acid is converted with a yield of at least 60% ;
- and
- wherein the PG selectivity is at least 80% .
A method of improving the reaction of hydrogen with a composition, comprising:
- exposing the composition to hydrogen in the presence of a solid, rhenium-containing multimetallic catalyst;
- wherein the composition comprises a component selected from the group consisting of:
- a 5 carbon sugar, a 5 carbon sugar alcohol, lactate and lactic acid;
- and
- converting at least 80% of said component to lower molecular weight products including propylene glycol (PG);
- wherein improving means that at the same conditions where the rhenium-containing multimetallic catalyst results in said at least 80% conversion, the yield of PG is improved by at least 5% , as compared with running the same reaction over each of:
- the same catalyst without rhenium, the same catalyst without rhenium but containing added weight of metal equal to the weight of rhenium in the improved method, and the same catalyst without rhenium but containing added moles of metal equal to the moles of rhenium in the improved method.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.