CuBr2/HYmmm – an effective catalyst for the transformation of 1,2-propanediol into 2-ethyl-4-methyl-1,3-dioxolane

Propanal is an important chemical intermediate used extensively in the manufacture of rubbers, plastics, paints, and pesticides. The ready availability of 1,2-propanediol production from glycerol provides the opportunity for propanal and its derivatives production from biomass resource. We found that pyrolysis of 1,2-propanediol at 200 °C for 4 hin the presence of the supported form of copper (II) bromide on micro-meso-macroporous zeolite HYmmm (5% CuBr₂ (20% ) / HYmmm) gives a mixture of cis- and trans-2-ethyl-4-methyl-1,3-dioxolane in 1.5: 1 ratio. New synthetic methodology paves the way to the development of new Cu-based catalytic systems promising for industrial applications.