Nitriles are versatile nitrogen-containing scaffolds that exist widely in medicines, dyes and functional materials, and are typically synthesized over homogeneous catalysts under relatively harsh conditions. Herein, through mimicking the key...
Increasing fossil fuels consumption and global warming have driven the global revolution towards renewable energy sources. Lignocellulosic biomass is the main source of renewable carbon-based fuels. The abundant intermolecular linkages and high oxygen content between cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin limit the use of traditional fuels. Therefore, it is a promising strategy to break the above linkages and remove oxygen by selective catalytic cracking of C–O bond to further transform the main components of biomass into small molecular products. This mini-review discusses the significance of selectivity control in C–O bond cleavage with well-tailored catalytic systems or strategies for furnishing biofuels and value-added chemicals of high efficiency from lignocellulosic biomass. The current challenges and future opportunities of converting lignocellulose biomass into high-value chemicals are also summarized and analyzed.
Biodiesel considered a green, environmentally friendly, and renewable energy source is one of the most promising candidates to replace fossil fuels to supply energy for the world. The conventional thermocatalytic methods have been extensively explored for producing biodiesel, while inevitably encountering some drawbacks, such as harsh operating conditions and high energy consumption. The catalytic production of biodiesel under mild conditions is a research hotspot but with difficulty. Photocatalysis has recently been highlighted as an eco-friendly and energy-saving approach for biodiesel production. This mini-review summarizes typical photocatalysts for biodiesel production and discusses in detail the catalytic mechanism and strategies of the photo-driven (trans)esterification to produce biodiesel. The current challenges and future opportunities of photo-driven catalysis to prepare biodiesel are also outlined, in steps towards guiding the design of advanced photocatalysts for biodiesel production.
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