Issue 7, 2011

Production of liquid hydrocarbonfuels by catalytic conversion of biomass-derived levulinic acid

Abstract

Levulinic acid derived from ligno-cellulosic biomass has the potential to be utilized as a platform intermediate molecule in the production of renewable liquid fuels for the transportation sector. Herein we report a catalytic process for the conversion of levulinic acid to γ-valerolactone (GVL) using a RuRe/C catalyst that is significantly more active than a traditional Ru/C catalyst. The bimetallic catalyst is active for the reduction of levulinic acid and simultaneous decomposition of formic acid with good stability in the presence of sulfuric acid, the homogeneous catalyst commonly used in the production of levulinic acid from carbohydrates. Results from techno-economic analyses show that the integration of this new process with catalytic decarboxylation of GVL to butene followed by alkene oligomerization could provide a cost-effective route for the conversion of ligno-cellulosic biomass to liquid hydrocarbon fuels.

Graphical abstract: Production of liquid hydrocarbon fuels by catalytic conversion of biomass-derived levulinic acid

Supplementary files

Additions and corrections

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 Jan 2011
Accepted
16 Mar 2011
First published
12 Apr 2011

Green Chem., 2011,13, 1755-1765

Production of liquid hydrocarbon fuels by catalytic conversion of biomass-derived levulinic acid

D. J. Braden, C. A. Henao, J. Heltzel, C. C. Maravelias and J. A. Dumesic, Green Chem., 2011, 13, 1755 DOI: 10.1039/C1GC15047B

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