Heterogeneous selective hydrogenation of ethylene carbonate to methanol and ethylene glycol over a copper chromite nanocatalyst.

Heterogeneous selective hydrogenation of ethylene carbonate (EC), a key step in indirect conversion of CO2, was realized over a copper chromite nanocatalyst prepared via a hydrothermal method followed by calcination. The selectivities towards methanol (60%) and ethylene glycol (93%) were higher than those achieved over other usual hydrogenation catalysts.