Patent ID: 8324433

Claim:
A method for producing ethylene glycol from a polyhydroxy compound, comprising the steps of: a) adding said polyhydroxy compound and water to a reactor, b) pressurizing the reactor with hydrogen gas at an initial hydrogen pressure, and c) allowing said polyhydroxy compound to react in the presence of a catalyst while stirring the reaction mixture; wherein said catalyst comprises a first active ingredient and a second active ingredient; said first active ingredient is iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, iridium, platinum, or a mixture thereof; said second active ingredient is tungsten, a carbide, nitride, phosphide of molybdenum, or a carbide, nitride, phosphide of tungsten; and the initial hydrogen pressure in said reactor at room temperature is between 1 and 12 MPa, the reaction temperature between 120 and 300° C., and the reaction time not less than 5 min.