Degussa Aktiengesellschaft

Walter Girke

Thomas Haas

Dietrich Arntz

Herbert Klenk

Armin Neher

A process is described for the simultaneous production of 1,2- and 1,3-propanediol from glycerol. The process involves the reaction stages (a) dehydration of glycerol by feeding a gaseous glycerol-water mixture with 10 to 40 wt % glycerol at 250.degree. to 340.degree. C. over a solid catalyst with an H.sub.0 value (Hammett acidity function) of less than 2, preferably between -3 and -8.2, (b) hydration of the acrolein contained in the reaction mixture of stage (a), and (c) catalytic hydrogenation of the reaction mixture, containing 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde and hydroxyacetone, of stage (b). Two valuable products, namely 1,2- and 1,3-propanediol, can be obtained simultaneously and in high total yield from glycerol in a simple process.

Process for the simultaneous production of 1,2- and 1,3-propanediol

A process for the production of acrolein by dehydration of glycerol in the liquid phase or in the gaseous phase, in each case on acidic solid catalysts, is described. Compared with previously known processes, the space-time yield and catalyst service life may be surprisingly increased with higher selectivity by treating a glycerol-water mixture with a glycerol content of 10 to 40 wt. % at 180.degree. to 340.degree. C. (liquid phase) or at 250.degree. to 340.degree. C. (gaseous phase) on a solid catalyst with an H.sub.o value (Hammett acidity function) of less than +2, preferably less than -3.

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Hanau, Germany

Walter Girke