Levulinic acid and alkyl-levulinates have been hydrogenated using a range of supported catalysts. The different reaction outcomes obtained in alternate solvents have been rationalized and the influence of varying catalyst supports examined. A range of solvent free conditions have been investigated with complete LA conversion obtained at temperatures as low as 25 °C

2-Methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF) is considered to be an attractive biomass based platform chemical with high potential as a biofuel compound and as a green solvent. 2-MTHF can be synthesised from bio-based levulinic acid (LA) and γ-valerolactone (GVL). Herein the optimum reaction conditions for the hydrogenation of GVL over Ru/C have been studied. A full conversion of GVL has been obtained under solvent free conditions with a maximum yield of 2-MTHF of 43%. The optimized conditions have been employed in a mechanistic study of the synthesis of 2-MTHF. Several side reactions have been investigated to explore the full reaction network of this heterogeneously catalysed system and to elucidate the factors influencing product selectivity. Additionally an efficient solvent-free hydrogenation reaction of LA into 2-MTHF could be achieved delivering 90% conversion of LA with a yield of 2-MTHF of 61% by removing water from the system in a two-step approach

Butyl levulinate was prepared starting from α-angelica lactone and butanol over Amberlyst® 36. Different reaction conditions were optimized, which resulted in full conversion and 94% selectivity toward the ester at 75 °C. A reaction network analysis reveals pseudo-butyl levulinate and levulinic acid as intermediates in the preparation of butyl levulinate. The mild protocol was successfully applied for different alcohols and compared with the esterification of levulinic acid. Overall, this study identifies α-angelica lactone as a better candidate than levulinic acid for the heterogeneously catalysed preparation of levulinic acid esters. A catalyst screening shows that also zeolites and zirconia-based catalysts are able to catalyse the reaction. However, the transformation of the intermediate pseudo-butyl levulinate into butyl levulinate requires acid sites of sufficient strength to proceed