Glycerol to acrolein – as fast as possible

The global political decision to reduce CO₂ emissions and the legislative urge to mix biofuels into normal fuels has meant that a ‘new’ and cheap raw material has appeared on the market: glycerol. Large quantities of glycerol are formed as a by-product of biodiesel production via the transesterification of vegetable oils or animal fats. Glycerol is a ‘green’ chemical, since it is renewable and therefore has a neutral CO2 balance. Beside simple heat generation due to combustion, glycerol is also a very versatile chemical that can be used for a large variety of chemical reactions. A very promising reaction is the direct synthesis of acrolein and acrylic acid from aqueous glycerol solutions.

Authors: Martin Kuba (hte), Jean-Luc Dubois (Arkema)