AUTHOR=Yang Juncheng , Jia Yihong , Fan Chao , Cheng Yu , Pan Cheng , Huang Benhua , Meng Xu , Zhang Junjie , Zheng Aqun , Ma Xiaomo , Li Xiaoyong , Luque Rafael , Sun Yang 

TITLE=Aqueous Room Temperature Mono-Dehydration of Sugar Alcohols Using Functionalized Yttrium Oxide Nanocatalysts

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Chemistry

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2020.00532

DOI=10.3389/fchem.2020.00532

ISSN=2296-2646

ABSTRACT=<p>The aqueous room temperature mono-dehydration of sugar alcohols (D-sorbitol and D-mannitol) was conducted using functionalized yttrium oxide nanocatalysts prepared via sol-gel methods. Materials exhibited high selectivity to mono-dehydration products. Solvent and catalyst effects were also investigated and discussed. The introduction of titanium into the yttrium oxide framework would decrease both substrate conversion and mono-dehydration efficiency. In addition, studies of the catalytic mechanism indicate high mono-dehydration efficiency may come from the stability of the formed intermediate during catalysis. This work provides a highly efficient and benign system for catalytic mono-dehydration of sugar alcohols.</p>