English
 
Help Privacy Policy Disclaimer
  Advanced SearchBrowse

Item

ITEM ACTIONSEXPORT

Released

Journal Article

Densification of biorefinery schemes by H-transfer with Raney Ni and 2-propanol: A case study of a potential avenue for valorization of alkyl levulinates to alkyl γ-hydroxypentanoates and γ-valerolactone

MPS-Authors
/persons/resource/persons132849

Geboers,  Jan
Research Department Schüth, Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Max Planck Society;

/persons/resource/persons59091

Wang,  Xingyu
Research Group Rinaldi, Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Max Planck Society;

De Carvalho,  Alex Bruno
Research Department Schüth, Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Max Planck Society;

/persons/resource/persons58928

Rinaldi,  Roberto
Research Group Rinaldi, Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Max Planck Society;

External Resource
No external resources are shared
Fulltext (restricted access)
There are currently no full texts shared for your IP range.
Fulltext (public)
There are no public fulltexts stored in PuRe
Supplementary Material (public)
There is no public supplementary material available
Citation

Geboers, J., Wang, X., De Carvalho, A. B., & Rinaldi, R. (2014). Densification of biorefinery schemes by H-transfer with Raney Ni and 2-propanol: A case study of a potential avenue for valorization of alkyl levulinates to alkyl γ-hydroxypentanoates and γ-valerolactone. Journal of Molecular Catalysis A, (388-389), 106-115. doi:10.1016/j.molcata.2013.11.031.


Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-0019-DA57-4
Abstract
Alkyl γ-hydroxypentanoates and γ-valerolactone are promising platform chemicals that can be produced from alkyl levulinates in the lignocellulosic biorefinery. Accordingly, this report aims to provide in-depth insight into the molecular aspects involved in the conversion of alkyl levulinates by H-transfer catalyzed by Raney Ni and using 2-propanol as an H-donor and solvent. We demonstrate this methodology as a highly flexible approach in regard to the high degree of control over the product selectivity. In fact, up to 90% yield of alkyl γ-hydroxypentanoates is obtained at temperatures as low as 298 K. In turn, 94% yield of γ-valerolactone is achieved at 393 K. In order to shed light on the fundamental aspects of this chemical route, we address: (1) the energetics of the transfer vs. conventional hydrogenation of methyl levulinate, (2) the thermal stability of methyl γ-hydroxypentanoate in the absence and in the presence of solid catalysts, and (3) the stability of Raney Ni in the conversion of several alkyl levulinates. Lastly, a process concept based on the current results is also proposed. This concept provides a comprehensive overview of the practical possibilities of this process as part of the lignocellulose-based biorefineries.