Hydrogenation of aqueous D-glucose (20 wt %) solution to produce D-sorbitol was carried out in continuous fix bed reactor (schematic diagram is shown in figure 1) using NiO-modified TiO2 (NiO-TiO2) supported ruthenium catalyst.  The ruthenium catalyst was prepared by simple impregnation method and then pelletized. After reduction, ruthenium particles distributed homogeneously throughout the (NiO-TiO2) support were also very small with average size around 2.0 nm. Hydrogenation experiment was conducted at 100o C under 80 bar hydrogen (H2) pressure at 200 cc/min flow rate. The conversion and D-sorbitol selectivity were studied as a function of residence time. The catalyst gives the total conversion of D-glucose (~99.2%) with highest D-sorbitol selectivity (~99.6%) and the initial specific activity at short residence time was in between (1060-1098) mmol.h-1gRu-1. During continuous hydrogenation experiment, the liquid flow rate was adjusted to achieve the highest D-sorbitol selectivity because any increase in residence time may cause more the formation of by-product i.e. D-mannitol. The activity catalyst was sustained over several weeks and no leaching of ruthenium was detected.

Continuous hydrogenation of D-glucose to D-sorbitol using Ru/(NiO-TiO<sub>2</sub>) ruthenium catalyst

245th National Meeting (2013)

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Continuous hydrogenation of D-glucose to D-sorbitol using Ru/(NiO-TiO2) ruthenium catalyst

Continuous hydrogenation of D-glucose to D-sorbitol using Ru/(NiO-TiO₂) ruthenium catalyst