Selective hydrogenation of D-glucose using amine functionalized nanoporous polymer supported Ru nanoparticles based catalyst

• Ru nanoparticles supported on amine functionalized nanoporous polymer (AFPS).
• Selective hydrogenation of D-glucose was investigated using Ru/AFPS based catalysts.
• Selective formation of D-sorbitol was influenced by loading of Ru.
• Ru/AFPS showed better catalytic performance than non-functionalized polymer catalyst.

Amine functionalized nanoporous polymer (AFPS) supported Ru based catalysts were prepared by simple impregnation-chemical reduction method, wherein Ru nanoparticles dispersed on AFPS matrix. The synthesized Ru/AFPS catalysts with different Ru loading were characterized by various characterization tools such as powder XRD, HRTEM, SEM, FTIR, TGA, CO chemisorption and XPS. The catalytic performances of Ru/AFPS catalysts were evaluated in hydrogenation of D-glucose to produce D-sorbitol under aqueous phase condition. The experiments results indicated that the increase of Ru content in Ru/AFPS catalyst enhanced the formation of desire D-sorbitol and 5Ru/AFPS catalyst (having 5 wt% of Ru) showed higher conversion and high D-sorbitol selectivity (98%). In comparison to non-functionalized polymer supported Ru catalyst (5Ru/PS), the catalyst 5Ru/AFPS exhibited higher catalyst performance. The achieved TOF with 5Ru/AFPS is almost 2.5 times higher than 5Ru/PS. The catalyst nanoporous structure with wide range of pores, high specific surface area and the presence of functional group on surface are considered to be responsible for observed higher catalyst performance of 5Ru/AFPS. Moreover, the effects of reaction temperature, hydrogen pressure and reaction time on conversion and selectivity of D-glucose hydrogenation were studied and the catalyst was also reused.

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