CATALYTIC REDUCTION OF SUGAR ALCOHOL TO BIOHYDROCARBON BY FORMIC ACID

• Main Author: Addarojah, Zaqiyah
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik kimia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/63283
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Sugar alcohols are members of polyols that possess of three to seven carbon skeleton and naturally found as the reduction products of aldose sugars. The most abundant aldose on Earth is glucose in the form of starch and cellulose. Sugar alcohol from the reduction of glucose can be called sorbitol. Robinson (1996) has proved that sorbitol can be reduced to 2-iodohexane (which can subsequently be converted to hydrocarbons). The objective the research proposed here is to obtain an experiments-based proof/disproof to the presumption/hypothesis that the conversion of sorbitol to 2-iodohexane can also be achieved through the following much more commercially applicable reaction, C6H14O6 + I2 + 6 HCOOH ? C6H13I + HI + 6 CO2 + 6 H2O Through the aid of a promotor that accelerate the speed of iodine (I2) reduction by formic acid (HCOOH). Three (3) potential promotors were tried to verify their effectiveness: dihydrogenphosphate ion (H2PO4-), triethylamine [(C2H5)3N] and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Experiments to verify the presumptions/hypothese were carried out at conditions similar to those used by Robinson (1996): at atmospheric pressure and reflux temperature (around 110oC-130oC) with 3 hours and 2x3 hours refluxing time. The results of the research showed that the most appropriate promotor is the solvent DMSO and that the initial molar ratio of I/OH in the reaction mixture play a decisive role for the successful proceeding of the reaction: to achieve more than 90% degree of conversion, I/OH molar ratio 1,6 – 1,8 with 6 – 3 hours refluxing time is required (as sorbitol has 6 OH groups, the I/OH molar ratio in the reaction written above is 2/6 or 1/3).