Production of C2 and C3 polyols from d-sorbitol over hydrotalcite-like compounds mediated bi-functional Ni–Mg–Al–Ox catalysts

•Hydrogenolysis of d-sorbitol proceeds effectively over a recyclable Ni/MgxAlyOx + 1.5y.•Increasing the basicity of Ni/MgxAlyOx + 1.5y can improve hydrogenolysis of d-sorbitol.•The basicity of Ni/MgxAlyOx + 1.5y can be controlled by adjusting Mg/Al ratio.•The conversion of d-sorbitol over Ni/Mg1.29Al0.06O1.38 reached 97.0% at 473 K.

Production of C2 and C3 polyols from d-sorbitol over Ni/MgxAlyOx + 1.5y catalysts with different Mg/Al molar ratio were performed under mild conditions. It was found that this reaction proceeded effectively over these bi-functional catalysts prepared via thermal decomposition and reduction of Ni–Mg–Al hydrotalcite-like compounds. The detected conversion of d-sorbitol over Ni/Mg1.29Al0.06O1.38 reached 80.7% at 453 K and further increased to 97.0% at 473 K. Characterizations indicate that the performance of these catalysts depended mainly on its surface basicity.

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