Direct conversion of glycerol into formic acid via water stable Pd(II) catalyzed oxidative carbon-carbon bond cleavage

Using our tridentate NHC-amidate-alkoxide Pd(II) complex, we developed a catalytic method for oxidative C-C bond cleavage of glycerol. The glycerol was degraded exclusively to formic acid and CO2. Two possible degradation pathways were proposed through 13C labeled studies.