A review of pentaerythritol Synthesis; industrial manufacturing and separation processes

Review article, 2026

Pentaerythritol (penta) is a versatile substance that has been used in manufacturing industries for decades as a starting material to produce various end products, including plastics, medicines, lubricants, paints, polymer cross-linking agents, and many others. Numerous patents have been published worldwide for penta synthesis to improve its industrial production. The synthesis and purification of penta are highly sensitive processes, making it challenging to achieve a high yield and adding significant complexity to the overall process. To date, no review has summarized the inventions aimed at improving the penta synthesis. This review compiles key research findings on synthesizing penta with high yields, minimizing waste production, and using efficient separation technologies. The effect of reactant ratios, amount of water, reaction temperature, and catalysts on penta synthesis is also summarized in the review. Based on literature analysis, the review offers suggestions and recommendations to pursue future research to improve penta synthesis processes further.