The Role of Tungsten Oxide Species Supported on Titania Catalysts for the Synthesis of Glycerol Carbonate from Glycerol and Urea

• Published in: Catalysis letters Vol. 146; no. 3; pp. 692 - 700
• Main Authors: Jagadeeswaraiah, K., Ramesh Kumar, Ch, Rajashekar, A., Srivani, A., Lingaiah, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.03.2016; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aluminum oxide; Ammonia; Carbonates; Catalysis; Catalysts; Catalytic activity; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Conversion; Diffraction; Glycerin; Glycerol; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Molybdenum oxides; Molybdenum trioxide; Niobium oxides; Organometallic Chemistry; Physical Chemistry; Roasting; Selectivity; Silicon dioxide; Surface area; Titanium dioxide; Tungsten oxides; Urea; Ureas; X-ray diffraction; X-rays; Zirconium dioxide; Glycerol carbonate; Glycerol; Tungsten oxide; Urea; Titania
• ISSN: 1011-372X; 1572-879X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10562-016-1694-9

A series of WO 3 supported on TiO 2 catalysts were prepared by impregnation method with varying WO 3 content. The prepared catalysts were characterized by FT-IR, Laser Raman, X-ray diffraction, BET surface area and temperature programmed desorption of NH 3 . X-ray diffraction and Laser Raman spectroscopic results suggest that WO 3 was highly dispersed on titania up to 15 wt%. Acidity of the catalyst depended up on WO 3 loading on titania and calcination temperature. The catalyst with 15 % WO 3 content calcined at 500 °C exhibited high surface area and high acidity. Activity of the catalysts was evaluated for the synthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol and urea. The catalytic activity results showed that 15 % WO 3 supported on TiO 2 exhibited about 73 % glycerol conversion with near 100 % selectivity for glycerol carbonate. The influence of support on glycerol conversion was also studied and activities for different supports were in the order of TiO 2  > SiO 2  > MoO 3  > Nb 2 O 5  > ZrO 2  > Al 2 O 3 . Different reaction parameters were also studied and optimum conditions were established. The catalyst is reusable without considerable loss in activity. Graphical Abstract