Solid Acids for the Reaction of Bioderived Alcohols into Ethers for Fuel Applications

Abstract

The use of solids acids in the synthesis of ethers suitable to be used as fuels or fuel additives were reviewed in a critical way. In particular, the role of Brønsted and Lewis acid sites was highlighted to focus on the pivotal role of the acidity nature on the product distribution. Particular emphasis is given to the recently proposed ethers prepared starting from furfural and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural. Thus, they are very promising products that can be derived from lignocellulosic biomass and bioalcohols and possess very interesting chemical and physical properties for their use in the diesel sector.

Ce and Ca/Nb doped Pd-mesocellular foam catalysts for gas-phase conversion of acetone to methyl isobutyl ketone

“…The desired product MIBK only started forming at 300 °C and with a low selectivity of 26 %. Ether formation is known to take place on acidic sites [50,51] while isopropyl alcohol forms on metallic sites [52],…”

Versatile Coordination Polymer Catalyst for Acid Reactions Involving Biobased Heterocyclic Chemicals

“…The catalytic potential of 1 was further explored for the acid catalyzed reaction of heterocyclic furfuryl alcohol (FA) with ethanol (these two reactants are industrially produced from vegetable biomass). The main products were 2-(ethoxymethyl)furan (EMF) and ethyl levulinate (EL), formed in 93% and 95% total yield at 90 and 140 • C respectively, 24 h. FA may be converted to EL via the intermediate formation of the heterocyclic product EMF, which involves furan ring opening promoted by Brønsted acidity [156][157][158]. For the FA reaction at 140 • C, the EMF yield decreased from 37% at 1 h to 3% at 24 h, whereas EL yield increased from 49% to 92% (Figure 10).…”

Conversion of Bioethanol to Diethyl Ether Catalyzed by Sulfuric Acid and Zeolite

“…Ethoxy ethane is a compound that can be used as a booster for cetane numbers in diesel fuel [4]. Types of ether that are often used as a booster for octane numbers include Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE) and Ethyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (ETBE).…”