Production of acrolein from glycerol over silica-supported heteropoly acids

Dehydration of glycerol to produce acrolein was performed over several solid acids. Supported heteropoly acids were effective as a catalyst for the dehydration of glycerol. The catalytic activity depended on the types of heteropoly acid and on the size of the mesopores in the silica support. Silicotungstic acid supported on silica with mesopores of 10 nm showed the highest catalytic activity with the acrolein selectivity of >85 mol% at an ambient pressure and 275 °C.