The sorbitol conversion in a molten salt hydrate medium (ZnCl₂; 70 wt% in water) was studied. Dehydration is the main reaction, initially 1,4- and 3,6-anhydrosorbitol are the main products that are subsequently converted into isosorbide; two other anhydrohexitols, (1,5- and 2,5-), formed are in less amounts and do not undergo further dehydration. Besides dehydration, depending on the temperature, sorbitol was partly epimerized into galactitol, which was further converted to anhydrohexitols or di-anhydrohexitols (mainly isoidide). Epimerization of galactitol into sorbitol was not observed. Temperature (150 to 220 °C) is a crucial factor; at low temperature the reaction rate is low but the selectivity is high, at elevated temperature (over 200 °C) the rate is high but extensive amounts of byproducts were produced. At the optimal temperature range, without using any co-catalysts, full conversion is achieved, and the isosorbide percent yield is above 85% on a molar basis; (1,5- and 2,5-) anhydrohexitols are the major byproducts. The sorbitol conversion reaction pathway has been investigated.

Narrow sized and highly homogeneous dispersed Pd nanoparticles have been synthesized on nitric acid-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) without a capping agent. The TEM images show that the extremely small Pd nanoparticles with an average size of about 1.5 nm were homogeneously dispersed on the surface of the CNTs. The characterization results indicate that the pretreatment with nitric acid not only improved the dispersion of Pd, but also enhanced the strong interaction between the Pd nanoparticles and the CNTs, thereby preventing their agglomeration and leaching in the liquid phase. On pretreatment with HNO₃, it is possible to generate more acidic groups on the surface of CNTs without a significant change in textural properties. The catalytic performance of the aforementioned material was investigated for selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol. Pd/CNTs exhibits high activity (~98% conversion) and selectivity (~90%) to benzaldehyde with excellent reusability. The high activity of the catalyst was attributed to the small size, high dispersion of Pd nanoparticles and higher accessibility of reactants. A careful analysis of the kinetic data suggests that there are different sites for the disproportionation and oxidation reactions. The excellent reusability of Pd/CNT catalysts makes this material a promising candidate for selective benzyl oxidation. Further, the results of the present study show that it is possible to synthesize uniformly dispersed Pd nanoparticles on various carbon supports without a capping agent.

Benzyl alcohol oxidation was carried out in toluene as solvent, in the presence of the potentially inhibiting oxidation products benzaldehyde and benzoic acid. Benzoic acid, or a product of benzoic acid, is identified to be the inhibiting species. The presence of a basic potassium salt (K₂CO₃ or KF) suppresses this inhibition, but promotes the formation of benzyl benzoate from the alcohol and aldehyde. When a small amount of water is added together with the potassium salt, an even greater beneficial effect is observed, due to a synergistic effect with the base. A kinetic model, based on the three main reactions and four major reaction components, is presented to describe the concentration-time profiles and inhibition. The inhibition, as well as the effect of the base, was captured in the kinetic model, by combining strong benzoic acid adsorption and competitive adsorption with benzyl alcohol. The effect of the potassium salt is accounted for in terms of neutralization of benzoic acid.