The design of environmentally friendly methodologies has been the driving force of scientists in recent years. In particular, the use of biomass-derived materials, green solvents and continuous flow as an alternative technique has been investigated. In this regards, glycerol has the potential to be both an excellent renewable solvent in modern chemical processes and a versatile building block in biorefineries. Indeed, various glycerol transformations such as oxidation, hydrogenolysis, etherification, esterification, dehydration and oligomerization can be executed to create a large number of value-added chemicals with specific industrial applications [1]. In parallel, continuous flow synthesis has got many advantages: thermal management, mixing control, scalability, energy efficiency, waste reduction, safety among others. Recent advances in glycerol valorization to valuable products (acrolein, lactic acid, glyceric acid, propanol, propanediols, glycerol carbonate, solketal, acetin, and oligomers ) under liquid phase continuous flow systems using different types of catalysts and processes will be highlighted [2].
[1] C. Len and coll., J. Agric. Food Chem. 1996, 44, 2856; 1997, 45, 3; Green Chem. 2011, 13, 1129; Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2013, 2583; Catal. Commun. 2014, 44, 15; RSC Adv. 2014, 4, 21456; Catalysis Today 2015, 255, 66; J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol. 2017, 92, 14; ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2016, 4, 6996; Catalysts 2017, 7, 123; Molecules 2019, 24, 1030; Front. Chem. 2019, 7, 357. [2] C. Len and coll., J. Ind. Eng. Chem. 2017, 51, 312; Synthesis, 2018, 50, 723; Curr. Opin. Green Sustain. Chem. 2019, 15, 83.