Gas-Phase Fructose Conversion to Furfural in a Microfluidized Bed Reactor

Abstract

Specialty chemicals from sugars are destined to displace fermentation to alcohols due to their superior economic value and atom efficiency. Compared to bioethanol, retention of oxygen functional groups increases by 2–5 times the market value of specialty chemicals like furfural, 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid, 2,5-dimethyl furan, and γ-valerolactone. For the first time, we report a gas-phase process that converts C-6 monosaccharides to furfural in a microfluidized bed reactor. A spray nozzle inserted directly into the catalytic bed atomizes a fructose–water solution to micron-sized droplets; water evaporates, and WO3/TiO2 converts fructose to furfural. Furfural yield reached 22% after 3 h time-on-stream with 15% diformyl furan as coproduct. Acetic acid yield was mostly below 10% but was as high as 27%. During the initial tests, coke and catalyst agglomerates blocked the sparger tip, and run time varied between 1 and 3 h. Insulating the nozzle leading into the bed reduced the injector wall temperature and improved reactor operability; the 15 mm i.d. reactor ran continuously for 19 h after this modification.

Recent Developments in Heterogeneous Catalytic Routes for the Sustainable Production of Succinic Acid from Biomass Resources

“…Although glucose and fructose are the readily available substrates from biomass that can be used for the synthesis of SA, other substrates derived from glucose or fructose can also be utilized. One particular example is furfural [51] oxidation to SA over various supports ( Figure 6). In this regard, Zhu et al [52] have reported complete oxidative transformation of furfural by using metal-free GO prepared by a modified Hummers method as a solid acid catalyst with hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) in water.…”

Experimental methods in chemical engineering: Reactors—fluidized beds

“…Highly exothermic or endothermic processes, explosive reactions, and vapourizing/reacting liquid streams are more challenging in fixed beds compared to fluidized beds. Atomizing non‐volatile compounds—fructose, xylose, vegetable oil, lignin, glycerol, and bitumen—through spargers into micro‐fluidized beds requires high gas velocities ( to ), which attrit even supported catalysts. Heating the gas to reaction conditions is a limiting factor, and so solids backmixing and higher gas velocities heat the atomized droplets faster.…”

Selective Catalysis for the Reductive Amination of Furfural Towards Furfurylamine by the Graphene-Co-Shelled Cobalt Nanoparticles

“…One of the acceptable strategy for the synthesis of high-value chemicals is related to the reductive amination which is superior in terms of its high selectivity towards targeted N-containing components, its availability under very mild conditions, and its diversity in product compounds 10 , motivating the increase of academic attentions in the reductive amination of biomass-derived platforms in the recent years. Among these platform molecules, furfural is easily accessible from acid-catalyzed tandem hydrolysis dehydration of hemicellulose or from acidfacilitated transformation of cellulose-derived hexoses, exhibiting an attractive economic benefit when compared to other biomass-derived platform 11,12 . In general, furfural can be reacted with ammonia or primary amines to synthesize valuable amines, such as furfurylamine and its derivatives, which have a large spectrum of application in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, synthetic resins, and useful agrochemicals.…”