Investigation of gold-based catalysts in catalytic base-free oxidation of glucose towards glucaric acid

In this work bimetallic gold-based catalysts were presented. The selective catalytic oxidation of glucose to glucaric acid using air and supported metal catalysts, is a sustainable alternative to the nitric acid oxidation process. The reaction proceeds via gluconic acid, however, side reactions and overoxidation reactions lower the yield of glucaric acid. A range of gold–platinum catalysts (Au/Pt molar ratio ca. 1) on zirconia support were prepared using different methods: wet impregnation (w.imp) and reduction by NaBH4, colloidal method (col) with PVA as stabilizer, and deposition-precipitation (d-p) with urea.