High-Throughput Screening of Heterogeneous Catalysts for the Conversion of Furfural to Bio-Based Fuel Components

Abstract

Abstract:The one-pot catalytic reductive etherification of furfural to 2-methoxymethylfuran (furfuryl methyl ether, FME), a valuable bio-based chemical or fuel, is reported. A large number of commercially available hydrogenation heterogeneous catalysts based on nickel, copper, cobalt, iridium, palladium and platinum catalysts on various support were evaluated by a high-throughput screening approach. The reaction was carried out in liquid phase with a 10% w/w furfural in methanol solution at 50 bar of hydrogen. Among all the samples tested, carbon-supported noble metal catalysts were found to be the most promising in terms of productivity and selectivity. In particular, palladium on charcoal catalysts show high selectivity (up to 77%) to FME. Significant amounts of furfuryl alcohol (FA) and 2-methylfuran (2-MF) are observed as the major by-products.

Upgrading Lignocellulosic Biomasses: Hydrogenolysis of Platform Derived Molecules Promoted by Heterogeneous Pd-Fe Catalysts

“…Xylose, in particular, is largely used in modern biorefineries to produce furfural (2-furaldehyde) through several homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic processes [44]. Furfural, with a world production of about 200,000 tonnes per year, is the key precursor to important building blocks such as furfuryl alcohol, 2-methylfuran, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran and levulinic acid [45][46][47].…”

An Efficient Acetalization Method for Biomass‐Derived Furfural with Ethanol Using γ‐Al2O3‐Supported Catalysts

“…With the aim of further exploring the concept of FFR acetalization, we have extended these studies to include rhodium‐, platinum‐ and nickel‐based systems to undertake a comparative study of their efficacy as catalysts for the acetalization of FFR using low metal loadings without either co‐catalysts or additives and at mild conditions. A limited number of studies have shown the FFR conversion over supported noble metals . Higher reaction temperatures (≥ 200 °C) typically favor FFR decarbonylation, and conversely, lower temperatures favor FFR hydrogenation to furfural alcohol (FAL).…”

Synthesis of Ethyl‐4‐ethoxy Pentanoate by Reductive Etherification of Ethyl Levulinate in Ethanol on Pd/SiO2‐C Catalysts

“…Reductive etherification of carbonyl compounds provides an alternative methodology for the preparation of biomass‐derived ethers . Balakrishnan et al .…”

“…have reported the reductive etherification of 5‐(hydroxymethyl)furfural catalyzed by a supported Pt/alumina catalyst in the presence of Amberlyst‐15. This method also applies to furfural in both methanol and ethanol by using carbon‐supported noble metal nanoparticles as the catalyst, albeit under different reaction conditions . We found that Pd/C can efficiently catalyze the reductive etherification of furfural in ethanol under mild conditions (0.3 MPa H 2 and 60 °C) .…”