Selective catalytic two-step process for ethylene glycol from carbon monoxide

Kaiwu Dong, Saravanakumar Elangovan, Rui Sang, Anke Spannenberg, Ralf Jackstell, Kathrin Junge, Yuehui Li () and Matthias Beller ()
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Kaiwu Dong: Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. an der Universität Rostock
Saravanakumar Elangovan: Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. an der Universität Rostock
Rui Sang: Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. an der Universität Rostock
Anke Spannenberg: Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. an der Universität Rostock
Ralf Jackstell: Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. an der Universität Rostock
Kathrin Junge: Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. an der Universität Rostock
Yuehui Li: Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. an der Universität Rostock
Matthias Beller: Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. an der Universität Rostock

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Upgrading C1 chemicals (for example, CO, CO/H2, MeOH and CO2) with C–C bond formation is essential for the synthesis of bulk chemicals. In general, these industrially important processes (for example, Fischer Tropsch) proceed at drastic reaction conditions (>250 °C; high pressure) and suffer from low selectivity, which makes high capital investment necessary and requires additional purifications. Here, a different strategy for the preparation of ethylene glycol (EG) via initial oxidative coupling and subsequent reduction is presented. Separating coupling and reduction steps allows for a completely selective formation of EG (99%) from CO. This two-step catalytic procedure makes use of a Pd-catalysed oxycarbonylation of amines to oxamides at room temperature (RT) and subsequent Ru- or Fe-catalysed hydrogenation to EG. Notably, in the first step the required amines can be efficiently reused. The presented stepwise oxamide-mediated coupling provides the basis for a new strategy for selective upgrading of C1 chemicals.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12075

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