Patent ID: 8710281

Claim:
A method for converting oxygenated hydrocarbons to lower molecular weight oxygenated compounds, the method comprising the step of reacting an aqueous feedstock solution with hydrogen, at a temperature of between 100° C. and 300° C., in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst, to produce a reaction product comprising one or more oxygenated compounds selected from the group consisting of a polyol, a ketone, an aldehyde, a carboxylic acid and an alcohol, wherein the aqueous feedstock solution comprises water and one or more water soluble oxygenated hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of a starch, a polysaccharide, a disaccharide, a monosaccharide, a polyhydric alcohol, a sugar, a sugar alcohol, and combinations thereof, wherein the heterogeneous catalyst comprises ruthenium, platinum and tin, and wherein the oxygenated compound has a lower molecular weight than the oxygenated hydrocarbon.