The support influence of Au‐based catalysts in glycerin selective oxidation to glyceric acid

Abstract Background The sustainable conversion of biomass‐derived glycerin into high‐value‐added chemicals is a significant challenge in contemporary science. In this context, the selective oxidation of aqueous glycerin into glyceric acid was investigated in the presence of NaOH and atmospheric oxygen. It was demonstrated that the selective transformation of glycerin to glyceric acid involves a new chemical reaction path for commodity glyceric acid that is both abundant and economical. Results The hydrotalcite‐supported Au nanoparticle catalyst (5%Au/HT) was found to be the most active for glycerin selective transformation to glyceric acid, showing 89.5% glycerin conversion with 61.2% glyceric acid selectivity under optimum experimental conditions. Furthermore, the 5%Au/HT catalyst was reused six times and maintained nearly the same activity in the catalytic recycle experiments. Conclusion In the Au‐based catalysts, there are strong electronic interactions between the different supports and Au nanoparticles (Au NPs). Besides, the basic sites of the catalysts participated in promotion of hydroxyl functional groups. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).