We investigated the initial adsorption behavior and growth of thin films of ionic liquid (IL) [C 1 C 1 Im][Tf 2 N] on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and on a full and a fractional graphene layer on Ni(111). We found that the initial adsorption behavior and growth strongly depended on the underlying substrate. On HOPG, the IL forms an initial wetting layer with a coverage of 0.5 ML and anions and cations next to each other in direct contact with the substrate. On a complete graphene layer on Ni(111), the wetting layer has twice the thickness with alternately oriented ion pairs next to each other. On top of these wetting layers, further IL growth occurs in 3D islands, with the island formation being less pronounced on the graphene layer. On the fractional graphene layer on Ni(111), initial IL adsorption preferentially occurs on bare Ni surface areas, with anions on top of cations, followed by 3D island growth on both the bare and the graphenecovered surface regions.

A new reaction system for the highly selective, hydrobromic acid catalyzed conversion of lactide into acrylic acid under mild conditions is reported. The applied liquid reaction system consists of a temperature-stable bromide-containing ionic liquid and 2-bromopropionic acid as a source of dry HBr, with no volatile organic solvent being used. This allows for the in situ removal of the formed acrylic acid, leading to an unmatched acrylic acid selectivity of over 72 % at full lactide conversion. Accounting for leftover reaction intermediates on the way to acrylic acid, which could be recycled in an elaborate continuous process, the proposed reaction system shows potential for acrylic acid yields well above 85 % in the liquid phase. This opens new avenues for the effective conversion of biogenic lactic acid (e.g., obtained by fermentation from starch) to acrylic acid. The resulting bio-acrylic acid is a highly attractive product for, for example, the diaper industry, where we expect consumers to be especially sensitive to aspects of sustainability.

Synthesis of bulk chemicals from biogenic resources is gaining increasing interest in industry and academia. In the present study, we demonstrate the continuous production of acrylic acid (AA) from biogenic lactide in a liquid-phase reaction using the ionic liquid tetrabutylphosphonium bromide as reaction medium and 2-bromopropionic acid as acid catalyst precursor. We here present a first continuous setup for AA production from LA derivatives in the liquid phase on a 10 L scale. The process operates at 200 °C and leads to AA yields of 72% in industrially relevant space–time–yields of up to 50 g/(h·L). We demonstrate continuous operation over 6 h time-on-stream, efficient product isolation and successful catalyst recycling.

A convenient and highly efficient way of synthesizing 2-bromopropionic acid (2-BrPA) from lactide is presented. The procedure uses ionic liquids obtained from the addition of HBr to ammonium-based zwitterions as the solvent and bromination agent. The buffered HBr acidity, high polarity, and charge stabilizing character of the ionic liquid (IL) enable the synthesis of 2-BrPA with excellent selectivity. The best results are obtained with an imidazolium-based IL, that is, 1-(4-butanesulfonic acid)-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([MIMBS]Br). The HBr loading and water content of the IL are crucial parameters for the bromination reaction. The formed 2-BrPA product can be selectively isolated by extraction from the IL, and the unconverted substrate remains in the [MIMBS]Br IL for the next run. Successful recycling of the IL over four cycles is demonstrated.

Catalytic cracking of hexane over steamed ZSM-5 is studied under steady state and dynamic conditions to elucidate the role of the active sites on the product distribution. The product distribution from the riser simulator representing the dynamic state of the catalyst cannot be resembled from monocracking or bimolecular reactions by Bronsted acid sites alone. The catalyst promotes the hydride transfer function which controls the hexane conversion at 460–500 °C that flips into methanation function at 550 °C with a propene to ethene ratio of 1.04. In addition, hydrogen induction is observed in the first two pulses. Steady state data obtained from a fixed bed reactor, on the other side, shows that the product distribution is controlled by monomolecular cracking with low yield of methane and high propene to ethene ratio ranging from 4.3 to 3.3 depending on the temperature and conversion. We are not able to explain these data by considering the Bronsted acid sites alone and suggest that Lewis acid sites with short-lived activity are not inactive in the carbon-carbon activation before fading by coke deactivation. The reported findings are of importance to academia and industry and are very relevant to fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes.