Catalytic Conversion of Ethanol to Oxygen-Containing Value-Added Chemicals

Ethanol, mainly produced from the yeast fermentation of biomass, is one of the most important renewable building blocks for synthesizing value-added chemicals. Different pathways of ethanol conversion, including dehydrogenation, C–C bond coupling, aromatization, hydrogen transfer, dehydration, etc., can be achieved over a variety of catalysts. In this Perspective, we focus on the catalytic one-pot ethanol conversion processes for producing oxygen-containing value-added chemicals. The details include the catalyst design strategy, selectivity manipulation, and mechanism investigation. We hope this Perspective will inspire future catalyst design for reactions by tailoring the C–H bond, C–O bond, or O–H bond and shed light on industry applications with carbon neutrality.