Atomically Precise Catalysts for the Conversion of Glycerol to High Value Chemical Intermediates

Statement of the problem or situation that is being addressed throughout Phase I portion of your proposal Glycerol is a low-value by-product of biodiesel production and other oleochemical transformations, but it can be converted into dozens of different C2 and C3 products via oxidation or dehydration reactions. Some of these potential products are high value chemical intermediates, for example acrolein. Unfortunately, the dehydration of glycerol is very nonspecific, generally yielding a mixture of C3 compounds as well as unwanted poly-glycerols. General statement of how this problem is being addressed What is needed is a atomically, or molecularly-precise catalyst structure containing heterogeneous solid acid reactive sites inside size selective nanopores so that the glycerol can be selectively dehydrated to a single high value intermediate. Acrolein is an ideal product made by the double dehydration of glycerol over an acid catalyst. Dehydration of acrolein as an isolated molecule inside a precisely sized and perfectly uniform nanopore should help prevent oligomers from forming, and temporarily confining it in the nanopore should promote the double dehydration required to make acrolein instead of other dehydration products. What is to be done in Phase I? TDA proposes to make atomically-precise solid acid catalysts from the self-assembly of polymerizable surfactant monomers, to produce a nanoporous polymer with pores just large enough for glycerol atoms to enter and with 100% atomically identical catalyst sites contained within these pores to maximize the production of acrolein, while preventing unwanted side reactions. Commercial Applications include the conversion of glycerol from biodiesel production into a high the value C3 intermediate (acrolein), which is used to produce C3 chemicals normally made from. These compounds include high volume C3 materials such as acrylic acid. Key Words – atomically precise, nonoporous, polymer solid acid catalyst. Summary for Members of Congress: Glycerol is a low value by-product of biodiesel production and other oleochemical transformations. This project will develop a new selective catalyst that will convert glycerol into acrolein, a high value intermediate used to make numerous high volume materials currently made from petroleum.