The potential of erythritol as a platform chemical in biomass refinery is discussed in terms of erythritol production and utilization. Regarding erythritol production, fermentation of sugar or starch has been already commercialized. The shift of the carbon source from glucose to inexpensive inedible waste glycerol is being investigated, which will decrease the price of erythritol. The carbon-based yield of erythritol from glycerol is comparable to or even higher than that from glucose. The metabolic pathway of erythritol biosynthesis has become clarified: erythrose-4-phosphate, which is one of the intermediates in the pentose phosphate pathway, is dephosphorylated and reduced to erythritol. The information about the metabolic pathway may give insights to improve the productivity by bleeding. Regarding erythritol utilization, chemical conversions of erythritol, especially deoxygenation, have been investigated in these days. Erythritol is easily dehydrated to 1,4-anhydroerythritol, which can be also used as the substrate for production of useful C4 chemicals. C-O hydrogenolysis and deoxydehydration using heterogeneous catalysts are effective reactions for erythritol/1,4-anhydroerythritol conversion.

中文翻译：

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赤藓糖醇：生物质炼油厂的另一种C4平台化学品。

从赤藓糖醇的生产和利用方面，讨论了赤藓糖醇作为生物质精炼中平台化学品的潜力。关于赤藓糖醇的生产，糖或淀粉的发酵已经商业化。正在研究碳源从葡萄糖到廉价的不可食用的废甘油的转移，这将降低赤藓糖醇的价格。甘油的赤藓糖醇的碳基产率与葡萄糖相当或什至更高。赤藓糖醇生物合成的代谢途径已经阐明：磷酸戊糖磷酸途径中的中间体之一的磷酸四氢赤藓糖被去磷酸化并还原为赤藓糖醇。有关代谢途径的信息可能会提供一些见解，以提高出血效率。关于赤藓糖醇的利用，近年来，已经研究了赤藓糖醇的化学转化，特别是脱氧。赤藓糖醇很容易脱水成1,4-脱水赤藓糖醇，也可用作生产有用的C4化学品的底物。使用多相催化剂的CO氢解和脱氧脱水是赤藓糖醇/ 1,4-脱水赤藓糖醇转化的有效反应。