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Journal ArticleDOI

Ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogenation of levulinic acid: Influence of the support and solvent on catalyst selectivity and stability

01 May 2013-Journal of Catalysis (Academic Press)-Vol. 301, pp 175-186
TL;DR: In this article, Ru/H-ZSM5 showed a 45.8% yield of pentanoic acid and its esters in dioxane, which is the first example of this one-pot conversion directly from LA at 473 K.
About: This article is published in Journal of Catalysis.The article was published on 2013-05-01. It has received 266 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Levulinic acid & Catalysis.
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, various strategies for the valorisation of waste biomass to platform chemicals, and the underlying developments in chemical and biological catalysis which make this possible, are critically reviewed, and three possible routes for producing a bio-based equivalent of the large volume polymer, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are delineated.

1,246 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A review of the most relevant chemical routes for converting furfural to chemicals, bio-fuels, and additives is presented in this article, focusing not only on industrially produced chemicals derived from fur, but also on other not yet commercialised products that have a high potential for commercialisation as commodities.
Abstract: The production of future transportation fuels and chemicals requires the deployment of new catalytic processes that transform biomass into valuable products under competitive conditions. Furfural has been identified as one of the most promising chemical platforms directly derived from biomass. With an annual production close to 300 kTon, furfural is currently a commodity chemical, and the technology for its production is largely established. The aim of this review is to discuss the most relevant chemical routes for converting furfural to chemicals, biofuels, and additives. This review focuses not only on industrially produced chemicals derived from furfural, but also on other not yet commercialised products that have a high potential for commercialisation as commodities. Other chemicals that are currently produced from oil but can also be derived from furfural are also reviewed. The chemical and engineering aspects such as the reaction conditions and mechanisms, as well as the main achievements and the challenges still to come in the pursuit of advancing the furfural-based industry, are highlighted.

1,079 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The application of zeolites, equipped with a variety of active sites, in Brønsted acid, Lewis acid, or multifunctional catalysed reactions is discussed and generalised to provide a comprehensive overview.
Abstract: Increasing demand for sustainable chemicals and fuels has pushed academia and industry to search for alternative feedstocks replacing crude oil in traditional refineries. As a result, an immense academic attention has focused on the valorisation of biomass (components) and derived intermediates to generate valuable platform chemicals and fuels. Zeolite catalysis plays a distinct role in many of these biomass conversion routes. This contribution emphasizes the progress and potential in zeolite catalysed biomass conversions and relates these to concepts established in existing petrochemical processes. The application of zeolites, equipped with a variety of active sites, in Bronsted acid, Lewis acid, or multifunctional catalysed reactions is discussed and generalised to provide a comprehensive overview. In addition, the feedstock shift from crude oil to biomass involves new challenges in developing fields, like mesoporosity and pore interconnectivity of zeolites and stability of zeolites in liquid phase. Finally, the future challenges and perspectives of zeolites in the processing of biomass conversion are discussed.

568 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article focuses on the catalytic upgrading of levulinic Acid into various chemicals such as levulinate esters, δ-aminolevulinic acid, succinic acid, diphenolic acid, γ-valerolactone, and γ -valerlactone derivatives such as valeric esters and 5-nonanone.
Abstract: Levulinic acid is a sustainable platform molecule that can be upgraded to valuable chemicals and fuel additives. This article focuses on the catalytic upgrading of levulinic acid into various chemicals such as levulinate esters, δ-aminolevulinic acid, succinic acid, diphenolic acid, γ-valerolactone, and γ-valerolactone derivatives such valeric esters, 5-nonanone, α-methylene-γ valerolactone, and other various molecular-weight alkanes (C9 and C18-C27 olefins).

493 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the current status of the technologies available for levulinic acid production, its recovery and the array of applications in several areas along with the gridlocks involved at each step of conversion process and suggest some possible remedies.
Abstract: The rise in fuel and oil prices has driven the hunt for alternative renewable resources for production of chemical intermediates or biofuels since they provide a sustainable solution to an increasing demand. Levulinic acid (LA), one of the platform chemicals, can be produced chemically using renewable resources such as starch waste and lignocellulosic biomass which sounds to be an attractive alternative owing to its abundance and environmentally benign nature. The presence of acidic carboxyl and ketone carbonyl groups in LA impart a remarkable pattern of reactivity to levulinic acid and allow it to form several derivatives having significant applications in various fields, thereby making it a versatile green chemical. The present review deals with the current status of the technologies available for levulinic acid production, its recovery and the array of applications in several areas along with the gridlocks involved at each step of conversion process and suggest some possible remedies. Further, it not only throws light on the recent advancements in LA production approaches along with the avant-garde biotechnological approach for its biosynthesis but also depicts the current market scenario of commercial LA industry. The review also discusses the future R&D scope with an aim to enhance the yield of levulinic acid production and to make the process energy-efficient and cost-effective.

273 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Dehydroisomerization of Limonene and Terpenes To Produce Cymene 2481 4.2.1.
Abstract: 3.2.3. Hydroformylation 2467 3.2.4. Dimerization 2468 3.2.5. Oxidative Cleavage and Ozonolysis 2469 3.2.6. Metathesis 2470 4. Terpenes 2472 4.1. Pinene 2472 4.1.1. Isomerization: R-Pinene 2472 4.1.2. Epoxidation of R-Pinene 2475 4.1.3. Isomerization of R-Pinene Oxide 2477 4.1.4. Hydration of R-Pinene: R-Terpineol 2478 4.1.5. Dehydroisomerization 2479 4.2. Limonene 2480 4.2.1. Isomerization 2480 4.2.2. Epoxidation: Limonene Oxide 2480 4.2.3. Isomerization of Limonene Oxide 2481 4.2.4. Dehydroisomerization of Limonene and Terpenes To Produce Cymene 2481

5,127 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the infrared spectrum of pyridine coordinately bonded to the surface of acid solids has been determined and a rough estimate of the strength of surface Lewis sites can be inferred.

1,357 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
26 Feb 2010-Science
TL;DR: A strategy by which aqueous solutions of γ-valerolactone (GVL), produced from biomass-derived carbohydrates, can be converted to liquid alkenes in the molecular weight range appropriate for transportation fuels by an integrated catalytic system that does not require an external source of hydrogen.
Abstract: Efficient synthesis of renewable fuels remains a challenging and important line of research. We report a strategy by which aqueous solutions of γ-valerolactone (GVL), produced from biomass-derived carbohydrates, can be converted to liquid alkenes in the molecular weight range appropriate for transportation fuels by an integrated catalytic system that does not require an external source of hydrogen. The GVL feed undergoes decarboxylation at elevated pressures (e.g., 36 bar) over a silica/alumina catalyst to produce a gas stream composed of equimolar amounts of butene and carbon dioxide. This stream is fed directly to an oligomerization reactor containing an acid catalyst (e.g., H ZSM-5, Amberlyst-70), which couples butene monomers to form condensable alkenes with molecular weights that can be targeted for gasoline and/or jet fuel applications. The effluent gaseous stream of CO 2 at elevated pressure can potentially be captured and then treated or sequestered to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from the process.

989 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed that γ-valerolactone (GVL) exhibits the most important characteristics of an ideal sustainable liquid, which could be used for the production of both energy and carbon-based consumer products.

844 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Levulinic acid (LA) can be converted to methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF), a solvent and fuel extender, using a single stage catalytic hydrogenation process as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Levulinic acid (LA) can be produced cost effectively and in high yield from renewable feedstocks in a new industrial process. The technology is being demonstrated on a 1 ton/day scale at a facility in South Glens Falls, New York. Low cost LA can be used as a platform chemical for the production of a wide range of value-added products. This research has demonstrated that LA can be converted to methyltetrahydrofuran (MTHF), a solvent and fuel extender. MTHF is produced in >80% molar yield via a single stage catalytic hydrogenation process. A new preparation of δ-aminolevulinic acid (DALA), a broad spectrum herbicide, from LA has also been developed. Each step in this new process proceeds in high (>80%) yield and affords DALA (as the hydrochloride salt) in >90% purity, giving a process that could be commercially viable. LA is also being investigated as a starting material for the production of diphenolic acid (DPA), a direct replacement for bisphenol A.

768 citations