Innovative valorization of naturally abundant and renewable lignocellulosic biomass is of great importance in the pursuit of a sustainable future and biobased economy. Ionic liquids (ILs) as an important kind of green solvents and functional fluids have attracted significant attention for the catalytic transformation of lignocellulosic feedstocks into a diverse range of products. Taking advantage of some unique properties of ILs with different functions, the catalytic transformation processes can be carried out more efficiently and potentially with lower environmental impacts. Also, a new product portfolio may be derived from catalytic systems with ILs as media. This review focuses on the catalytic chemical conversion of lignocellulose and its primary ingredients (i.e., cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) into value-added chemicals and fuel products using ILs as the reaction media. An outlook is provided at the end of this review to highlight the challenges and opportunities associated with this interes...

Catalytic Transformation of Lignocellulose into Chemicals and Fuel Products in Ionic Liquids

Carbon dioxide offers an accessible, cheap and renewable carbon feedstock for synthesis. Current interest in the area of carbon dioxide valorisation aims at new, emerging technologies that are able to provide new opportunities to turn a waste into value. Polymers are among the most widely produced chemicals in the world greatly affecting the quality of life. However, there are growing concerns about the lack of reuse of the majority of the consumer plastics and their after-life disposal resulting in an increasing demand for sustainable alternatives. New monomers and polymers that can address these issues are therefore warranted, and merging polymer synthesis with the recycling of carbon dioxide offers a tangible route to transition towards a circular economy. Here, an overview of the most relevant and recent approaches to CO2-based monomers and polymers are highlighted with particular emphasis on the transformation routes used and their involved manifolds.

Advances in the use of CO2 as a renewable feedstock for the synthesis of polymers

State of the art and perspectives in catalytic processes for CO2 conversion into chemicals and fuels: The distinctive contribution of chemical catalysis and biotechnology

Production of biodegradable plastic from agricultural wastes

Synthesis and characterization of cellulose acetate from rice husk: Eco-friendly condition

Isolation of cellulose from rice straw and its conversion into cellulose acetate catalyzed by phosphotungstic acid

Amberlyst 15 as a new and reusable catalyst for the conversion of cellulose into cellulose acetate.

Hydrolysis of cellulose catalyzed by sulfonated poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) in the ionic liquid 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide

A novel method to synthesize diphenyl carbonate from carbon dioxide and phenol in the presence of methanol

A magnetic Fe3O4@SiO2–ZnBr2 catalyst was prepared by supporting ZnBr2 on silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles of Fe3O4 and used as a recoverable catalyst for the direct synthesis of diphenyl carbonate (DPC) from CO2 and phenol in the presence of carbon tetrachloride. The as-prepared catalyst was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (IR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), a X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) and BET. Zn loading in the supported catalyst and leaching during the reaction process were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). It was found that Fe3O4@SiO2–ZnBr2 showed higher catalytic activity than homogenous ZnCl2 and ZnI2 as well as homogenous ZnBr2. With this new catalyst under optimized conditions, a yield of DPC at 28.1% was obtained. The heterogeneous catalyst Fe3O4@SiO2–ZnBr2 can also be recovered by a permanent magnet after the reaction and reused up to 4 times without noticeable deactivation.

Tao Fang

Papers

Isolation of cellulose from rice straw and its conversion into cellulose acetate catalyzed by phosphotungstic acid

Amberlyst 15 as a new and reusable catalyst for the conversion of cellulose into cellulose acetate.

Hydrolysis of cellulose catalyzed by sulfonated poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) in the ionic liquid 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide

A novel method to synthesize diphenyl carbonate from carbon dioxide and phenol in the presence of methanol

ZnBr2 supported on silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles of Fe3O4 for conversion of CO2 to diphenyl carbonate