Direct preparation of dichloropropanol from glycerol and hydrochloric acid gas using heteropolyacid (HPA) catalyst by heterogeneous gas phase reaction

Direct preparation of dichloropropanol (DCP) from glycerol and hydrochloric acid gas was carried out in a heterogeneous gas phase reactor using H3PMo12−XWXO40 (X = 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12), H4SiW12O40, and H4SiMo12O40 heteropolyacid (HPA) catalysts. Acid property of the HPA catalyst was determined by NH3-TPD measurement in order to correlate the catalytic activity with the acid property of the catalyst. Acid strength of the HPA catalyst played a key role in determining the catalytic performance in the reaction. Yield for DCP increased with increasing acid strength of the catalyst. Among the catalysts tested, H3PW12O40 with the highest acid strength showed the highest yield for DCP.