Abstract

Isosorbide is a multi-purpose chemical that can be produced from renewable resources. Specifically, it has been investigated as a replacement for toxic bisphenol A (BPA) in the production of polycarbonate (PC). In this study, the synthesis of isosorbide by sorbitol dehydration using a cerium-based catalyst derived from calcined cerium (IV) sulfate (300°C, 400°C, 450°C, 500°C, and 650°C) was investigated. The reaction occurred in a high-pressure reactor containing nitrogen gas. Advanced instrumental techniques were applied to analyze the characteristics of the calcined catalyst. The results showed that the calcined catalysts demonstrated different crystalline structures and sulfate species at different temperatures. However, the acidic properties (strength and amount) of the catalyst did not change with the calcination temperature. The cerium (IV) sulfate calcined at 400°C exhibited the best catalytic performance, achieving the highest isosorbide yield (55.7%) and complete conversion of sorbitol at 180°C, 20 bar of N2, and 6 h using CeSO-400. The presence of a sulfate group on the catalyst was the most important factor in determining the catalytic performance of sorbitol dehydration to isosorbide. This work suggests that CeSO-400 catalysts may play an important role in reducing reaction conditions.

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