Pt/W/SBA-15 catalysts (with Pt-loading = 0.5–4 wt% and W-loading = 1 wt%) prepared by the sequential impregnation method were evaluated for selective C–O cleavage of erythritol and glycerol in an aqueous medium. The Pt and W particles dispersed on SBA-15 approached close proximity at higher Pt loadings and afforded synergistic enhancement in C–O hydrogenolysis activity/selectivity. 1,4-Butanediol yields of 30.9% (at 190 °C, 50 bar H₂ and 24 h) and 1,3-propanediol yields of 34.4% (at 190 °C, 50 bar H₂ and 12 h of reaction) were obtained over these catalysts. Pt nanoparticles (facilitating dissociative H₂ adsorption and spillover) and W (present as acidic oligomeric WO_x species; activating and coordinating the polyol via 1°-OH group) worked in tandem for the selective hydrogenolysis of polyols yielding terminal diols of industrial demand.

Pt/WO ₃ /zirconium phosphate shows high catalytic activity for C–O bond hydrogenolysis of glycerol in an aqueous medium, and ¹ H NMR is demonstrated as a simple, alternative technique for quantifying the hydrogenolysis products.