Furfural
(FFR) was selectively hydrogenated in a single pot to
tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFAL) over a Si–MFI molecular
sieve supported Pd catalyst. Studies on catalyst screening revealed
that both the metal function and the support were critical for directing
the selectivity to the ring-hydrogenated product, THFAL. The structural
feature of MFI as shown by XRD was completely retained in the used
sample of the 3% Pd/MFI catalyst confirming its stability under reaction
conditions. XRD, along with SEM characterization of the used samples,
established retention of morphology of the structured silicate, suggesting
a strong interaction between hexagonal porous silicate and Pd particles.
The complete conversion of FFR with an enhanced selectivity of 95%
to THFAL could be achieved by recycling the crude of the first hydrogenation
experiment over the same 3% Pd/MFI catalyst.
BACKGROUND: In the near future, fossil fuel will have limitations in terms of availability and also great concerns over its environmental impact. New routes and related technologies based on renewable feedstocks can overcome most of these problems associated with fossil fuel. Among current biodiesel sources, ethyl levulinate (EL) biodiesel obtained from catalytic esterification of renewable levulinic acid (LA) with ethanol has received a great deal of attention. The use of desilicated H-ZSM-5 (DH-ZSM-5) as heterogeneous acid catalyst for EL biodiesel production in a closed system (under autogeneous pressure) was studied.
Sustainable process
and efficient heterogeneous acid catalyst for the preparation of platform
chemicals like 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (5-HMF) from renewable source
is much in demand in the context of heterogeneous catalysis. Commercially
available solid acid catalyst, H-USY zeolite was modified by treating
with aqueous solution of H3PO4 and H2SO4 (10–30 wt %). Modified H-USY was completely
characterized by XRD, NH3-TPD, energy dispersive analysis
X-ray (EDAX), FT-IR, pyridine-IR, and NMR. Its catalytic performance
was evaluated for the fructose conversion to 5-HMF in methyl isobutyl
ketone (MIBK)–water system. Modified H-USY zeolite was identified
to have potential in enhancement of 5-HMF yield up to 65% from 32%
(parent H-USY) with minimum formation of furfural (8%). H-USY modified
with 10 wt % H3PO4 (10P–Y) was found
to be the best compared to other studied catalysts, namely, H-USY
modified with 20 and 30 wt % H3PO4 (20 and 30P–Y)
or 10–30 wt % H2SO4 (10- to 30S–Y).
Best performance of 10P–Y is associated with the optimum combination
of moderate acidity (both weak as well as strong), moderate dealumination
of Al from extra-framework sites as well as from framework sites of
H-USY, formation of new Al–O–P bonds between framework
Al and elemental monomeric phosphorus, presence of Brønsted as
well as Lewis acidity, and creation of mesopores. This gives new insight
on a potential heterogeneous acid catalyst for the synthesis of 5-HMF.
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