Raw glycerol transformation: the role of different matrixes in selectivity and durability of the catalytic system

Glycerol solutions deriving from the transesterification of different kinds of not-refined oils have been directly oxidized in the presence of O2 without any purification step. As glycerol is one of the molecules indicated to be a potential starting material for a new chemical platform based on renewables, this could represent an important step for the cost abatement of biodiesel production. Different catalytic systems have been evaluated in terms of productivity of single product and resistance to impurities deriving from raw materials. Gold and palladium catalysts have been particularly studied and gold based ones revealed an improved resistance to impurities with respect to palladium, especially when alloyed