Biomass
has emerged as an abundant and relatively low cost carbon
resource alternative to fossil fuel resources in the sustainable production
of specialty chemicals and biofuel. Levulinic acid is an attractive
platform chemical. Upgrading of levulinic acid produces levulinate
esters, which serve as a transportation fuel and fuel additive. The
present review focuses on the development of sustainable conversion
of biomass into levulinic acid and levulinate esters via ionic liquids
dual solvent–catalysts. The synthesis routes of levulinic acid
and levulinate esters and the corresponding ionic liquids are introduced.
The biomass pretreament, as well as the conversions of lignocellulosic
biomass and their derivatives into levulinic acid and levulinate esters,
are detailed in relation to the catalytic role, properties, and performance
of acidic ionic liquids. Finally, the operating conditions affecting
the ionic liquids catalytic conversions are discussed as part of a
comprehensive review of this topic.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.