Understanding reaction pathways is essential in developing efficient, selective catalysts and the optimization of reaction processes. In this work, we investigate the hydrogenolysis of glycerol to propanediols over heteropoly acid-modified platinum catalysts. By combining probing reactions with in-situ infrared studies, we identified key reaction intermediates and revealed the distinct roles of metal and acid sites in controlling product distribution. Notably, the nature of the acid sites and Brønsted to Lewis acid ratio was found to significantly influence intermediate formation and controlled the following transformation. Our results provide valuable insight into designing selective catalysts for glycerol conversion.
