This invention provides methods for producing
ethylene glycol from polyhydroxy compounds such as
cellulose,
starch,
hemicellulose, glucose,
sucrose,
fructose,
fructan,
xylose and soluble xylooligosaccharides. The methods uses polyhydroxy compounds as the reactant, a composite catalyst having
active components comprising one or more transition metals of Groups 8, 9, or 10, including iron,
cobalt,
nickel,
ruthenium,
rhodium,
palladium,
iridium, and
platinum, as well as
tungsten oxide,
tungsten sulfide,
tungsten hydroxide, tungsten
chloride, tungsten
bronze oxide,
tungsten acid,
tungstate, metatungstate acid, metatungstate, paratungstate acid, paratungstate, peroxotungstic acid, pertungstate,
heteropoly acid containing tungsten. Reacting at a temperature of 120-300° C. and a
hydrogen pressure of 1-13 MPa under hydrothermal conditions to accomplish one-step catalytic conversion. It realizes efficient,
highly selective, high yield preparation of
ethylene glycol and
propylene glycol from polyhydroxy compounds. The
advantage of processes disclosed in this invention include renewable
raw material and high
atom economy. At the same time, compared with other technologies that converts
biomass raw materials into polyols, methods disclosed herein enjoy advantages including simple reaction process, high yield of targeted products, as well as easy preparation and low cost for the catalysts.