Pivotal role of H2 in the isomerisation of isosorbide over a Ru/C catalyst
Résumé
Isosorbide isomerisation is a known reaction that can proceed over Ru and Ni-based heterogeneous catalysts. As a rule, an exogenous H2 pressure (40–100 bar) is required, even though H2 does not participate stoichiometrically in the reaction. By marrying experiments with DFT computations, we ascribe the role of H2 in isosorbide isomerisation to a coverage effect on the catalyst surface. We demonstrate the possibility of conducting the reaction at a low H2 pressure either in the presence of an inert gas to increase H2 solubility in an underlying solvent or using 2-propanol as a hydrogen donor. This might benefit the economy and safety of a potential industrial process.
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