Pyruvic　acid　and　pyruvate　derivatives　are　important　chemical　intermediates　which　are　normally　produced　using　metal-based　catalytic　materials　that　could　cause　serious　environmental　problems.　In　the　present　work,　renewable　nanocarbon　catalysts　are　applied　in　this　system,　and　a　solvent　free　and　highly　selective　oxidative　dehydrogenation　of　ethyl　lactate　(EL)　process　is　achieved　to　produce　ethyl　pyruvate　(EP)　under　mild　reaction　conditions.　Chemical　titration　results　provide　direct　evidence　that　ketonic　carbonyl　groups　on　nanocarbon　are　active　sites　for　this　reaction.　Raman,　XPS　and　model　catalyst　experimental　results　have　shown　that　there　is　a　dynamic　transformation　between　defects　and　oxygen　functionalities　during　the　catalytic　reactions.　The　reaction　pathway　is　revealed　via　kinetic　analysis,　which　may　shed　light　on　the　rational　design　of　carbon　catalysts　and　their　potential　catalytic　applications　in　the　field　of　fine　chemical　productions.　©　2018　Elsevier　B.V.