Catalytic Conversion of 1,2-propanediol to 2-propanone: an Exploratory Study

Abstract

Climate change underscores the urgency of exploring novel pathways for the decarbonization of the transportation sector. Within the aviation sector, biofuel appears to be the most viable short-term solution. Recently, the focus has centered on the aldol condensation of biomass-derived furans with ketones as 2-propanone (acetone) or 2-hydroxy-2-propanone (acetol), offering an efficient method to produce intermediates suitable for aviation fuels. However, 2-propanone is currently produced from cumene, a petroleum-derived source. This study proposes 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PDO), a sustainable product obtained by the hydrogenolysis of glycerol, a byproduct of the biodiesel industry, as a renewable feedstock for the generation of 2-propanone. For that purpose, the coprecipitation method with sodium hydroxide was employed to synthesize three copper, zinc, and aluminum-based catalysts. The catalysts were characterized through ICP-OES, N2 adsorption-desorption, XRD, and H2-TPR. The dehydration of 1,2-PDO to 2-propanone was investigated in a continuous system at 227 ºC, using a 10 wt% aqueous solution of 1,2-PDO at atmospheric pressure with a W/m ratio of 10 gCatalyst min g1,2-PDO-1. The catalyst with the lower zinc content achieved the highest carbon selectivity to 2-propanone at 22.1% and generated 1845 µmol2-propanone/mol1,2-PDO. This study revealed that lower zinc content could enhance 1,2-PDO dehydration to 2-propanone, preventing the subsequent hydrogenation of 2-propanone to 2-propanol. Additional optimization is required to attain higher yields.