Selective oxidation of glucose to glucuronic acid by cesium-promoted gold nanoparticle catalyst

Author(s)

Wojcieszak, Robert ; Cuccovia, Iolanda M. ; Silva, Marcia A. ; Rossi, Liane M.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR CATALYSIS A-CHEMICAL; v. 422, p. 8-pg., 2016-10-01.

Abstract

Gold catalysts outperform palladium and platinum catalysts for the oxidation of sugars with high activity and selectivity toward aldonic acids. The oxidation into other sugar acids, such as uronic and aldaric acids, has been scarcely investigated. Au nanoparticles supported on CeO2 using a soft chemical reduction method with hydrazine, were active for the selective oxidation of low weight carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, maltose) into glucuronic acid. The oxidation occurred in aqueous solution at low temperature using O-2 as oxidant and without adding any base. The activity was improved by modifying the supported Au catalyst with cesium, while selectivity was maintained. Under these conditions, high selectivity to glucuronic acid was achieved; however, in the presence of base many by-products were obtained. The preparation of glucuronic acid in high yield using gold catalysts was never reported, which makes the catalyst developed here very interesting for liquid phase oxidation processes. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/21566-0 - Study of bimetallic gold catalysts for carbohydrates conversion in biobased chemicals
• Grantee: Robert Jan Wojcieszak
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 12/08691-0 - Exploring the chemistry of gold and its unique opportunities in catalysis for biomass conversion in biobased chemicals
• Grantee: Liane Marcia Rossi
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants