One-pot catalytic selective synthesis of 1,4-butanediol from 1,4-anhydroerythritol and hydrogen

Abstract

A physical mixture of ReO_x–Au/CeO₂ and carbon-supported rhenium catalysts effectively converted 1,4-anhydroerythritol to 1,4-butanediol with H₂ as a reductant. The combination of these two catalysts in a one-pot reaction dramatically increased the selectivity of 1,4-butanediol as well as the conversion of 1,4-anhydroerythritol. The yield of 1,4-butanediol reached ∼90%, which is the highest yield from erythritol and 1,4-anhydroerythritol so far, furthermore, at a relatively low reaction temperature of 413 K. This reaction involves the ReO_x–Au/CeO₂-catalyzed deoxydehydration of 1,4-anhydroerythritol to 2,5-dihydrofuran and ReO_x/C-catalyzed successive isomerization, hydration and reduction reactions of 2,5-dihydrofuran.