Glycolic acid is a useful and important α‐hydroxy acid that has broad applications. Herein, the homogeneous ruthenium catalyzed reforming of aqueous ethylene glycol to generate glycolic acid as well as pure hydrogen gas, without concomitant CO2 emi...
Glycolic acid is a useful and important α‐hydroxy acid that has broad applications. Herein, the homogeneous ruthenium catalyzed reforming of aqueous ethylene glycol to generate glycolic acid as well as pure hydrogen gas, without concomitant CO2 emission, is reported. This approach provides a clean and sustainable direction to glycolic acid and hydrogen, based on inexpensive, readily available, and renewable ethylene glycol using 0.5 mol % of catalyst. In‐depth mechanistic experimental and computational studies highlight key aspects of the PNNH‐ligand framework involved in this transformation.
A homogeneous ruthenium‐catalyzed reforming of aqueous ethylene glycol to glycolic acid and hydrogen is described. A plausible reaction mechanism, involving metal–ligand cooperation is proposed and supported by stoichiometric reactions, NMR studies, X‐ray crystallography and computational studies.