Catalysts for hydrodeoxygenation of polyols
AssigneeVirent, Inc.
InventorsDick Alan Nagaki, Randy D. Cortright, Lisa Kamke, Elizabeth Woods
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Abstract
Disclosed are methods for producing polyols, ketones, carboxylic acids, aldehydes and alcohols from biomass-derived oxygenated hydrocarbons, such as sugars, sugar alcohols, saccharides and the like, using catalysts containing platinum, ruthenium and tin. The methods can be run at lower temperatures and pressures, and allows for the production of oxygenated compounds without the need for hydrogen from an external source. The oxygenated compounds produced are useful as industrial chemicals or chemical intermediates for liquid fuels production.
Claims18
A method for converting oxygenated hydrocarbons to lower molecular weight oxygenated compounds, the method comprising the step of reacting an aqueous feedstock solution with hydrogen, at a temperature of between 100° C. and 300° C., in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst, to produce a reaction product comprising one or more oxygenated compounds selected from the group consisting of a polyol, a ketone, an aldehyde, a carboxylic acid and an alcohol,
- wherein the aqueous feedstock solution comprises water and one or more water soluble oxygenated hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of a starch, a polysaccharide, a disaccharide, a monosaccharide, a polyhydric alcohol, a sugar, a sugar alcohol, and combinations thereof,
- wherein the heterogeneous catalyst comprises ruthenium, platinum and tin, and wherein the oxygenated compound has a lower molecular weight than the oxygenated hydrocarbon.
A method of generating propylene glycol comprising the step of contacting a heterogeneous catalyst comprising platinum, ruthenium, and tin, with hydrogen and an aqueous feedstock solution comprising water and glycerol, at:
- a) a temperature of about 200° C. to 280° C.;
- b) a weight hourly space velocity of greater than 0.1 gram of glycerol per gram of the heterogeneous catalyst per hour;
- and
- c) a pressure at which the water and the glycerol remain condensed liquids to produce a reaction product comprising propylene glycol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.