Understanding and Controlling Reactivity of Unsaturated Oxygenates and Polyols on Metal Catalysts

Abstract

The production of fuels and chemicals from biomass requires heterogeneous catalysts that facilitate selective reactions of highly functional oxygenates. Although designing catalysts for high selectivity is a universal challenge in heterogeneous catalysis research, the problem is particularly acute for highly functional molecules, which contain two or more functional groups that may react over metal surfaces. This perspective article focuses on recent efforts to develop structure–property relations on metal surfaces and catalysts for two classes of highly functional molecules: multifunctional oxygenates such as α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and furanic compounds, and polyfunctional oxygenates such as glycerol and other polyols. Recent results from comparative reaction studies over a variety of catalysts, surface science experiments, and computational investigations suggest an array of approaches for producing more selective catalysts, many relying on the addition of multiple metals or other surface modifiers. General strategies that appear to show promise in the selective reactions of unsaturated oxygenates and of polyols are discussed in detail.