Selective Production of Hydrogen and Lactate from Glycerol Dehydrogenation Catalyzed by a Ruthenium PN3P Pincer Complex
Abstract
In the quest for cheap and abundant feedstocks for sustainable hydrogen production, glycerol is emerging as a cost-effective, promising liquid organic hydrogen-rich carrier (LOHC) that can be catalytically activated to produce hydrogen alongside valuable organic products. Selective catalytic acceptorless dehydrogenation of glycerol to lactate and hydrogen gas was achieved with a maximum turnover number (TONmax) of ca. 1600, using a pincer-type ruthenium(II) complex bearing a bis(aminophosphine)pyridine PN3P ligand as a homogeneous catalyst under moderate reaction conditions (24 h, 140 °C) in the presence of KOH as base. NMR experiments and DFT calculations provided insights into key steps of the catalytic process and the energetics of the proposed reaction pathway.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Carbon dioxide utilization in catalysis
Asymmetric Hydrogenation and Catalysis
Catalysis for Biomass Conversion
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Catalysts
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 48–48
- Publication date
- 2 January 2026
- Language
- EN