Hydrogenations and hydro-acylations using homogeneous platinum metal catalysts

PhD Ceremony: dhr. H. Heeres, 13.15 uur uur, Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen

Dissertation: Hydrogenations and hydro-acylations using homogeneous platinum metal catalysts

Promotor(s): prof.dr.ir. H.J. Heeres

Faculty: Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Contact: Hans Heeres, tel. 06 22 95 3623, e-mail: h.heeres@rug.nl

Platinum metals have the ability to catalyse many reactions and are widely used in the chemical industry. Hans Heeres used catalysts based on platinum metals such as Rh, Ir and Ru in hydrogenation- and carbonylation reactions.

In last part of thesis research is describe in which the platinum metal ruthenium was used as a catalyst for a one pot synthesis of γ-valerolactone (GVL) from C6-sugars. GVL is considered a very interesting green, bio-based platform chemical with high application potential. D-glucose, D-fructose, sucrose and cellulose were applied as the substrates and an acid catalyst in combination with a hydrogenation catalyst (Ru/C) and either molecular hydrogen or formic acid as the hydrogen donor were used. The highest yield of GVL (62 mol%) was obtained using D-fructose in combination with TFA and Ru/C in water (180 °C, 94 bar H₂, 8 h).