Selective hydrogenation of xylose to xylitol over Co/SiO2 catalysts

Xylose can be selectively converted to xylitol in water, with an optimized yield of 98 %, in the presence of a simple silica supported monometallic cobalt - Co/SiO2 - catalyst. This catalyst displays initial outstanding catalytic properties in a proper solvent, the best results being obtained in pure water. Recyclability studies show a moderate deactivation of the catalyst, while selectivity to xylitol remains almost unchanged after 4 cycles, confirming that this catalyst formulation is very promising for the xylitol production process.