Application of a microchannel reactor to intensify the process of obtaining solketal from glycerol and acetone

The possibility of using a microchannel (MC) reactor for the synthesis of solketal from glycerol and acetone is demonstrated. The reaction proceeds efficiently in the presence of mordenite as a catalyst, which was fed as a suspension in a glycerol-methanol solution (glycerol/methanol = 2:1 v/v) at an acetone/glycerol molar ratio of 1.5. The main factors (MC reactor length, reactant feed rate, and reaction temperature) influencing the reaction rate and solketal selectivity were determined. The maximum glycerol conversion (64.8%) and solketal selectivity (94.3%) were obtained at 40 °C, a residence time of 18.85 min in a 3 m long MC reactor with a channel inner diameter of 2 mm. The efficiency of using the MC reactor in comparison with a batch reactor is demonstrated. The specific productivity of solketal in the MK reactor was 14 times higher than that of the batch reactor. These results indicate that microchannel technology can be considered a promising option for intensifying reactions for producing glycerol ketals and acetals.

1. Global Market Insights. https://www.gminsights.com/ru/industry-analysis/solketal-market

2. Zahid I., Ayoub M., Abdullah B.B., Mukhtar A., Saqib S., Rafiq S., Ullah S., Al-Sehemi A.G., Farrukh S. // ChemBioEng Reviews, 2020. V. 8. № 3. P. 227—238. DOI: 10.1002/cben.202000015.

3. Тимофеева М.Н., Андреев Д.В., Панченко В.Н., Фурсов Е.А. // Катализ в промышленности, 2026. Т. 26. № 1. С. 56—78. DOI: 10.18412/1816-0387-2026-1-56-78.

4. Jaehnisch K., Hessel V., Loewe H., Baerns M. // Chemistry in Microstructured Reactors. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2004, V. 43. P. 406—446. DOI: 10.1002/anie.200300577.

5. Makarshin L.L., Pai Z.P., Parmon V.N. // Russ. Chem. Rev. 2016. V. 85 (2). P. 139—155. DOI: 10.1070/RCR4484.

6. Nguyen R., Haloumi S., Malpartida I., Len C. // Journal of Flow Chemistry. 2025. V. 15. P. 1—9. DOI: 10.1007/s41981-024-00339-8.

7. Bumbac G., Banu I. // Renew Energy. 2021. V. 183. P. 662—675. DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2021.11.004.

8. Zhang G., Zhang L., Wang X., Chen A., Zhang Q. // React. Chem. Eng. 2020. V. 5. P. 539—546. DOI: 10.1039/c9re00450e.

9. Huang X., Zhang G., Zhang L., Zhang Q. // ACS Omega. 2020. V. 5. P. 20784—20791. DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c01573.

10. da Silva C.X.A., Gonçalves V.L.C., Mota C.J.A. // Green Chem. 2009. V. 11. P. 38—41. DOI: 10.1039/b813564a.

11. Kowalska-Kus J., Held A., Frankowski M., Nowinska K. // J. Mol. Catalysis A: Chem. 2017. V. 426. P. 205—212. DOI: 10.1016/j.molcata.2016.11.018.

12. Коваленко О.Н., Сименцова И.И., Панченко В.Н., Тимофеева М.Н. // Катализ в промышленности. 2023. Т. 23. № 3. С. 13—22. DOI: 10.18412/1816-0387-2023-3-13-23.

13. Паукштис Е.А. // Инфракрасная спектроскопия в гетерогенном кислотном основном катализе. 1992. Новосибирск: Наука. 254 с.

14. Calvino-Casilda V., Stawicka K., Trejda M., Ziolek M., Banares M.A. // J. Phys. Chem. C. 2014. V. 118. P. 10780—10791. DOI: 10.1021/jp500651e.

15. Marton G.I., Iancu P., Plesu V., Marton A., Soriga S.G. // Rev. Chim. (Bucharest). 2015. V. 66. № 5. P. 750—753. https://www.researchgate.net/publ ication/282320315_Solketal_-_A_quantum_mecanics_study_of_the_reaction_mechanism_of_ketalization

16. Ozorio L.P., Pianzolli R., Mota M.B., Mota C.J.A. // J. Braz. Chem. Soc. 2012. V. 23. № 5. Р. 931—937. DOI: 10.1590/S0103-50532012000500019.

17. Pierpont A.W., Batista E.R., Martin R.L., Chen W., Kim J.K., Hoyt C.B., Gordon J.C., Michalczyk R., Silks L.A.P., Wu R. // ACS Catal. 2015. V. 5. P. 1013—1019. DOI: 10.1021/cs5010932.

18. Moreira M.N., Faria R.P., Ribeiro A.M., Rodrigues A.E. // Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2019. V. 58. № 38. P. 17746—17759. DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.9b03725.

19. Nanda M.R., Yuan Z., Qin W., Ghaziaskar H.S., Poirier M.-A., Xu C.C. // Fuel. 2014. V. 117. P. 470—477. DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2013.09.066.

20. Cornejo A., Campoy M., Barrio I., Navarrete B., Lázaro J. // React. Chem. Eng. 2019. V. 4. P. 1803—1813. DOI: 10.1039/c9re00083f.

21. Vannucci J.A., Nichio N.N., Pompeo F. // Catalysis Today. 2021. V. 372. P. 238—245. DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2020.10.005.

22. Meelom A. A ketalization of glycerol with acetone catalyzed by zeolite beta: thermodynamics and kinetics study. Thesis, Silpakorn University, P. 86. http://www.thapra.lib.su.ac.th/objects/thesis/fulltext/snamcn/Arnupap_Meelom/Arnupap_Meelom_fulltext.pdf_Meelom_fulltext.pdf

23. Sulisty H., Huda E.N., Utami T.S., Sediawan W.B., Rahayu S.S., Azis M.M. // AJChE. 2020. V. 20. № 1. Р. 67—76. DOI: 10.22146/ajche.52455.

24. Rossa V., Pessanha Y.S., Díaz G.C., Câmara L.D.T., Pergher S.B., Aranda D.A. // Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2017. V. 56. № 2. P. 479—488. DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.6b03581.