PRIN 2022 N° 20223R3ZPF

Switching from petro-
to bio-based chemistry

Deoxydehydration as a versatile tool for the production of olefins from natural polyols

29 months
4 research units
PE4 ERC field
Explore the project
01

The Project

The shift from fossil fuels to renewable biomass as a carbon source is one of the defining challenges of our era. The DODH project addresses this through a precise chemical lens.

The Deoxydehydration (DODH) reaction selectively removes two adjacent hydroxyl groups from vicinal diols — converting bio-derived polyols into valuable alkenes. Catalysed by rhenium complexes, it offers a clean, atom-efficient pathway for biomass valorisation.

By developing both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic systems, the project bridges laboratory chemistry with scalable industrial processes.

DODH Reaction
R — CH(OH)—CH(OH) — R′
vicinal diol
[Re cat.] − H₂O
R — CH ═ CH — R′
alkene  +  H₂O
02

The Science

ERC Research Fields

PE4_10 Heterogeneous catalysis
PE5_13 Homogeneous catalysis
PE4_12 Chemical reactions: mechanisms, dynamics, kinetics and catalytic reactions

Keywords

RheniumDeoxydehydrationBiomass valorizationDeoxygenationNatural polyolsHeterogeneous catalysisHomogeneous catalysis
Main ERC field — PE  Physical Sciences and Engineering
03

Research Units

Principal Investigator
Prof. Nicola d'Alessandro
Università G. d'Annunzio
Chieti-Pescara
Research Unit
Prof. Marcello Crucianelli
Università
dell'Aquila
Research Unit
Prof. Elisabetta Rombi
Università
di Cagliari
Research Unit
Dott. Simone Piccinin
CNR
Trieste
04

From Biomass
to Chemicals

By reducing the oxygen content of bio-derived molecules while preserving their carbon backbone, the DODH reaction unlocks high-value chemical streams from agricultural and industrial biomass waste.

from Glycerol
to Unsaturated monomers for polymers
from Sugars
to Adipic acid & platform chemicals

Ref: Mascitti et al., ACS Omega, 2022, 7, 27980