A comparative review of petroleum-based and bio-based acrolein production.

Acrolein is an important chemical intermediate for many common industrial chemicals, leading to an array of useful end products. This paper reviews all the synthetic methods, including the former (aldol condensation) and contemporary (partial oxidation of propylene) manufacturing methods, the partial oxidation of propane, and most importantly, the bio-based glycerol-dehydration route. Emphasis is placed on the petroleum-based route from propylene and the bio-based route from glycerol, an abundantly available and relatively inexpensive raw material available from biodiesel production. This review provides technical details and incentives for industrial proyduction that justify a transition toward bio-based acrolein production.