Chinese Academy of Sciences

Other

Jingguang Chen

Tao Zhang

Mingyuan Zheng

Xiaodong Wang

Na Ji

Aiqin Wang

Yuying Shu

Hui Xing Wang

Jifeng Pang

Zhijun Tai

Likun Zhou

Aigin Wang

Hui Wang

Tungsten carbide catalysts are used in preparation of ethylene glycol by hydrogenating degradation of cellulose. The catalyst includes tungsten carbide as main catalytic active component, added with small amount of one or more transition metals such as nickel, cobalt, iron, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, and copper as the second metal, supported on one or more porous complex supports such as active carbon, alumina, silica, titanium dioxide, silicon carbide, zirconium oxide, for conversion of cellulose to ethylene glycol. The catalyst realizes high efficiency, high selectivity, and high yield in the conversion of cellulose to ethylene glycol at the temperature of 120-300&#xb0; C., hydrogen pressure of 1-10 MPa, and hydrothermal conditions. Compared to the existing industrial synthetic method of ethylene glycol using ethylene as feedstock, the invention has the advantages of using renewable raw material resources, environment friendly process, and excellent atom economy.

Methods of using tungsten carbide catalysts in preparation of ethylene glycol

A method for producing ethylene glycol, including (a) adding a polyhydroxy compound and water to a sealed high-pressure reactor, (b) removing air and introducing hydrogen, and (c) allowing the polyhydroxy compound to react in the presence of a catalyst while stiffing. The catalyst includes a first active ingredient and a second active ingredient. The first active ingredient includes a transition metal of Group 8, 9, or 10 selected from iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, iridium, and platinum, and/or a mixture thereof. The second active ingredient includes a metallic state of molybdenum and/or tungsten, or a carbide, nitride, or phosphide thereof. The method is carried out at a hydrogen pressure of 1-12 MPa, at a temperature of 120-300&#xb0; C. for not less than 5 min in a one-step catalytic reaction. The efficiency, selectivity, and the yield of ethylene glycol are high. The preparation process is simple and the materials used are renewable.

Method for producing ethylene glycol from polyhydroxy compound

A method for preparing ethylene glycol from cellulose uses the cellulose as the feed for the reaction. The cellulose conversion is performed over catalysts which are composed of the metallic state, carbides, nitrides, or phosiphides of molybdenum or tungsten, and metallic cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, iridium, and platinum of the group 8, 9, or 10 transition metals. The catalytic conversion of cellulose is conducted at 120 to 300&#xb0; C. and hydrogen pressure 1 to 12 MPa under the hydrothermal conditions to achieve the high efficiency, high selectivity, and high yield of ethylene glycol. Compared to the existing method of preparing ethylene glycol from ethylene, the method, using the renewable raw material for the reaction, is friendly to the environment, and has high atom economy.

Method of preparing ethylene glycol from cellulose

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Dalian, China

Jingguang Chen