Catalytic conversion of glucose into sorbitol over niobium oxide supported Ru catalysts

Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol of great importance in cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical industry as well as the production of biopolymers. This work aimed at the synthesis of sorbitol from the hydrogenation of glucose using Ru/Nb2O5 catalysts in the amorphous and crystalline phases. The catalysts were synthesized from the wet impregnation method and characterized by N2 adsorption isotherms, TGA/DTG, EDXRF, XRD, TPR-H2, XPS and SEM. The catalytic tests presented results of high conversion rates of glucose reaching 85 % and 99 % of selectivity to sorbitol when using Nb2O5 in the crystalline form as support, and 53 % and 55 % in the conversion and selectivity, respectively, when the amorphous phase of Nb2O5 was used as support. The structural modification of the catalytic support positively favored the catalyst activity and sorbitol production, allowing the formation of nanometric particles of the active metal on the surface alongside the increase of the mesoporosity, thereby facilitating the transport of reagents.