| abstract |
The present invention relates to a method for synthesising a polyol from a reaction substrate by means of catalytic hydrogen transfer (CHT) hydrogenation, method that comprises causing said reaction substrate to react with a hydrogen donor in the presence of said porous catalyst having a Ni-Al alloy of the Ni-Raney type, wherein said reaction substrate is a monosaccharide or oligosaccharide and said hydrogen donor is a diol. Preferably, said monosaccharide or oligosaccharide is glucose, fructose, mannose, galactose, xylose, arabinose, ribose, lyxose, cellobiose, maltose or lactose; said diol is 1,2-ethanediol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,2-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,2-pentanediol, 1,5-pentanediol or 1,6-hexanediol; and said polyol is sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, arabitol, ribitol, lixitol, cellobitol, maltitol or lactitol. |