Dehydrogenation of methyl glycolate to methyl glyoxylate over a Cu/SiO₂ catalyst

Dehydrogenation of methyl glycolate (MG) is an attractive method for synthesizing methyl glyoxylate (MGO, an important high-value chemical and pharmaceutical intermediate), which is calling for a qualified catalyst. Cu/SiO₂-AE catalysts were prepared via the ammonia evaporation method for the title reaction, showing the catalytic performance strongly dependent on their preparation/activation parameters as well as the reaction conditions. The preferable 15Cu/SiO₂-80AE (15 wt% Cu-loading; AE-treatment at 80 °C; calcined at 500 °C) after H₂-reduction at 300 °C achieved a high MG conversion of 38.5 % with MGO selectivity of 79.0 % at 400 °C. The Cu/SiO₂-AE catalyst demonstrates promising catalytic performance, achieving 38.5 % MG conversion with 79.0 % MGO selectivity at 400 °C. The Cu⁺/Cu⁰ ratio plays a crucial role in catalytic activity, as revealed by XPS, FTIR, and MG-TPSR. Deactivation mechanisms were studied, and catalyst regeneration was explored, offering insights for industrial application in green MGO synthesis.