The production of bio-diesel from the transesterification of plant-derived triglycerides with methanol has been extensively commercialised. Impure glycerol is obtained as a by-product at roughly one tenth the mass of bio-diesel. Utilisation of this crude glycerol is important in improving the viability of the overall process. Here we show that crude glycerol can be reacted with water over very simple basic or redox oxide catalysts to produce methanol in high yields, together with other useful chemicals, in a one-step low pressure process. Our discovery opens up the possibility of recycling the crude glycerol produced during bio-diesel manufacture. Furthermore, we show that molecules containing at least two hydroxyl groups can be converted into methanol demonstrating aspects of generality of this new chemistry.

The dataset contains gas chromatographs which highlight the large product mixtures formed under certain reaction conditions. Also included are injections of certain chemicals that are formed in the reaction to illustrate their retention time on the GC coloumn.

Research results based upon these data are published at http://doi.org/10.1038/NCHEM.2345