Selective oxidation of glycerol over supported noble metal catalysts

Abstract

Glycerol is a significant by-product of biodiesel production and a functional molecule with three hydroxyl groups. Glycerol can be transformed through different catalytic processes, among which the selective oxidation of glycerol over heterogeneous catalyst is appealing due to its environmental friendliness and the facile production of various value-added products from glycerol. Owing to the structural sensitivity of the reaction, the activity and products selectivity not only depend on the active metal sites, but also is affected by many other factors, such as the pH of the reaction system, the structure and characters of metal and support. This article provides a comprehensive review of recent developments on glycerol selective oxidation over supported noble metal catalysts. Critical attention is paid to the influence of metal-support and metal-metal interactions on the electronic and geometrical structure of catalysts and the consequent catalytic performances, which is conducive to better understanding of the reaction mechanism and more rational design of catalyst to enhance the catalytic activity and selectivity of desired products, such as 1,3-dihydroxyacetone.