Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Dehydration of propylene glycol

mr.crow - 21-6-2011 at 08:30

Here is a basic question that has been bugging me for a while.

Alcohols can be dehydrated with an acid catalyst like phosphoric acid or KHSO4. What if 1,2-propanediol was treated this way? Would the product be acetone, allyl alcohol or propionaldehyde? Glycerine can yield acrolein

Polverone - 21-6-2011 at 09:49

I had this note to myself saved:

Surupa Dimple Abraham, MS Thesis University of Missouri-Columbia
Reactive distillation of propylene glycol can give ~25% 1-propanol
Gas phase tube furnace reactions can give ~50% propionaldehyde
Catalysts are basic alumina and magnesia with sodium compounds

mr.crow - 21-6-2011 at 10:18

Thanks!!! Just what I was looking for.

He briefly mentions acid catalysts with the product being 65% propionaldehyde. Could be easily oxidized to propionic acid.