Glycerol, di- and polyglycerols, sugar alcohols, and levulinic acid are promising bio-based starting materials that can be converted into a variety of useful chemicals. However, certain employed reactions to transform these feedstocks suffer from poor atom economy, low yield, and copious inorganic waste. Efficient and practical reductive etherification of the above feedstocks with the corresponding carbonyl compounds or alcohols to form diverse alkyl ether derivatives has been achieved under moderate hydrogen pressure using new palladium catalysts on mesoporous carbon supports optionally with a second metal component. The new catalysts completely eliminate the need of acid addition to the reaction mixture thus preventing undesired condensations of the carbonyl compounds and oligomerizations of the polyols. The products have been isolated by extractions and/or vacuum distillations in many cases with good to excellent yields. The same catalyst loadings have been tested in five consecutive cycles after simple filtration and solvent washing with essential retention of efficiency. Reaction mechanisms are proposed based on the detected intermediates and byproducts.  <br/>

Conversion of biomass-derived polyols and carbonyl compounds to valuable products by catalytic reductive etherification

2019 Fall National Meeting

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