Homogeneous Reforming of Aqueous Ethylene Glycol to Glycolic Acid and Pure Hydrogen Catalyzed by Pincer-Ruthenium Complexes Capable of Metal–Ligand Cooperation

You Quan Zou, Niklas von Wolff, Michael Rauch, Moran Feller, Quan Quan Zhou, Aviel Anaby, Yael Diskin-Posner, Linda J.W. Shimon, Liat Avram, Yehoshoa Ben-David, David Milstein

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

30 Scopus citations

Abstract

Glycolic acid is a useful and important α-hydroxy acid that has broad applications. Herein, the homogeneous ruthenium catalyzed reforming of aqueous ethylene glycol to generate glycolic acid as well as pure hydrogen gas, without concomitant CO2 emission, is reported. This approach provides a clean and sustainable direction to glycolic acid and hydrogen, based on inexpensive, readily available, and renewable ethylene glycol using 0.5 mol % of catalyst. In-depth mechanistic experimental and computational studies highlight key aspects of the PNNH-ligand framework involved in this transformation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4715-4722
Number of pages8
JournalChemistry - A European Journal
Volume27
Issue number14
DOIs
StatePublished - 8 Mar 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • ethylene glycol
  • glycolic acid
  • homogeneous catalysis
  • hydrogen
  • sustainable chemistry

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Catalysis
  • Organic Chemistry

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Homogeneous Reforming of Aqueous Ethylene Glycol to Glycolic Acid and Pure Hydrogen Catalyzed by Pincer-Ruthenium Complexes Capable of Metal–Ligand Cooperation'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this