Fe doped aluminoborate PKU-1 catalysts for the ketalization of glycerol to solketal: Unveiling the effects of iron composition and boron

An inexpensive Fe doped aluminoborate consisted of 18% in PKU-1 material that exhibits high selectivity 4-hydroxymethy-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane (Solketal, 98.3%), considerable activity (TOF 51.7 h−1), and recyclable ability the ketalization glycerol to Solketal with acetone at 318 K has been developed. Our study demonstrated structure (less agglomerated iron species vs. FeOx clusters) can be tuned by changing loading material, which correlated well experimental observations. Furthermore, surface boron sites were promoted behaved as Lewis-acid facilitate reaction process ketalization, while was closely related PKU-1, proved kinetic studies, density function theory (DFT) calculations, a series spectroscopy studies. This investigation demonstrates B play important roles instead being spectators.