The deoxydehydration (DODH) reaction: a versatile technology for accessing olefins from bio-based polyols

Abstract

This review provides a complete overview of the deoxydehydration (DODH) reaction including metal-free and transition metal-based DODH processes for the upgrading of bio-based polyols towards olefins. It relates to one of the main challenges of the 21st century, i.e. providing new chemical strategies to support the transition from a petro-based to an alternative bio-based chemical industry. The oxygen rich backbone signature of bio-based molecules imposes the development of new processes among which the DODH reaction stands as a gold standard for reaching olefins. The DODH research field has witnessed significant advances for both metal-free and metal-catalyzed protocols tailored for the specific context of using bio-based polyols as substrates. The selectivity for the preparation of specific olefin building blocks is thoroughly discussed in light of their environmental footprint (E-factor), hence providing a selection guide for the upgrading of polyols towards industrially relevant olefins and other valued added chemical building blocks.