Advances in catalytic dehydrogenation of ethanol to acetaldehyde

The rapid growth of ethanol production and its limited blending ratio in gasoline stimulates the conversion of ethanol into value-added chemicals and fuels. Dehydrogenation of ethanol to acetaldehyde provides an elegant option for ethanol conversion in view of the versatile applications of acetaldehyde and the high atomic economy of this process. In this review, the recent progresses in catalytic conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde were summarized and discussed. Specifically, the representative catalysts for oxidative and non-oxidative dehydrogenation of ethanol were highlighted, and reaction mechanisms over typical catalysts were analyzed. Finally, challenges in improving the acetaldehyde selectivity and catalysts stability, and opportunities in replacing the fossil route acetaldehyde production were proposed.