Isomerization of D-glucose to D-fructose over metallosilicate solid bases

The isomerization of glucose was studied in water at 100 degrees C in the presence of various metallosilicates as solid base catalysts, namely the titanosilicates ETS-10, ETS-4 and AM-4, a sodium yttrium silicate analogue of the mineral montregianite (AV-1), an alkali calcium silicate analogue of the mineral rhodesite (AV-2), and a calcium silicate analogue of the mineral tobermorite (TOB). Fructose yields in the range of 20-40% were obtained within 2-h reaction. These results are either similar to or better than those achievable with the commercial zeolite Na-X or aqueous NaOH. Depending on the nature of the catalyst, different factors account for deactivation, such as loss of crystallinity, sodium/potassium leaching and surface passivation. Two of the more promising materials, AV-1 and TOB, were quite stable under the reaction conditions, as evidenced by powder X-ray diffraction analyses for the fresh and used catalysts. The used TOB catalyst exhibited a steady performance when recycled and for AV-1 fructose yields increased in recycling runs. The activity of the solid bases, with the exception of AV-1, could be correlated with the basicity characterized by Knoevenagel condensation tests. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.