Metal–Organic Framework Mediated Synthesis of Small‐Sized γ‐Alumina as a Highly Active Catalyst for the Dehydration of Glycerol to Acrolein

Abstract

AbstractThe dehydration of glycerol into acrolein was investigated over small‐sized γ‐Al2O3 prepared by a metal–organic framework (MOF) templated method. The particle size of alumina strongly affected the final physicochemical properties of γ‐Al2O3 as well as its catalytic activity. The MOF‐derived, small‐sized γ‐Al2O3 (M‐Al2O3) catalyst exhibited higher stability and higher activity in the glycerol dehydration reaction than conventional bulk γ‐Al2O3 and nanorod γ‐Al2O3 owing to enriched intercrystal mesopores and an abundance of accessible acid sites. M‐Al2O3 retained its high glycerol conversion (over 80 %) for nearly 200 h, whereas high acrolein selectivity (74 %) was achieved.