Bi‐Functional Magnesium Silicate Catalyzed Glucose and Furfural Transformations to Renewable Chemicals

Abstract

Bio-refinery is attracting significant interest to produce a wide range of renewable chemicals and fuels from biomass that are alternative to fossil fuel derived petrochemicals. Similar to petrochemical industries, bio-refinery also depends on solid zeolite catalysts. Acid-base catalysis plays pivotal role in producing a wide range of chemicals from biomass. Herein, the Mg framework substituted MTW zeolite is synthesized and explored in the valorisation of glucose and furfural. Bi-functional (acidic and basic) characteristics are confirmed using pyridine adsorbed FTÀ IR analysis and NH 3 and CO 2 temperatureprogrammed desorption techniques. Textural properties and morphological information are retrieved from N 2-sorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. The activity of the catalyst is demonstrated in the selective isomerisation of glucose to fructose in ethanol. Glucose is converted to methyl lactate in high yield using the same catalyst. Further, the bi-functional activity of this catalyst is demonstrated in the production of fuel precursor by the reaction of furfural and isopropanol. MgÀ MTW zeolite exhibits excellent activity in the production of all these chemicals and fuel derivative. The catalyst exhibits no significant loss in the activity even after five recycles. One simple catalyst affording three renewable synthetic intermediates from glucose and furfural will attract significant attention to catalysis researchers and industrialists.

Pd-Decorated CePO4 Catalyst for the One-Pot, Two-Step Cascade Reaction to Transform Biomass-Derived Furanic Aldehydes into Fuel Intermediates

“…The presence of a small amount of Brönsted acidity in CePO 4 plays a role in the dehydration step; however, basicity and Lewis acidity facilitate the condensation step. In our previous study, we reported a similar condensation reaction between furfural and isopropanol, wherein isopropanol, in the presence of Lewis acid sites, underwent transfer hydrogenation to produce acetone, and the formed acetone underwent condensation with furfural . Similarly, when furfural was reacted with isopropanol under the present reaction conditions, the etherification product of furfural and isopropanol was also obtained with 8.8% selectivity along with the condensation product (91.2%).…”

“…In our previous study, we reported a similar condensation reaction between furfural and isopropanol, wherein isopropanol, in the presence of Lewis acid sites, underwent transfer hydrogenation to produce acetone, and the formed acetone underwent condensation with furfural. 63 Similarly, when furfural was reacted with isopropanol under the present reaction conditions, the etherification product of furfural and isopropanol was also obtained with 8.8% selectivity along with the condensation product (91.2%). This confirms the presence of the small amount of Bronsted acidity in CePO 4 .…”

The cooperative effect of Co and CoO in Co/CoO enabled efficient catalytic hydrogenation and demethoxylation of guaiacol to cyclohexanol

“…The band observed at 1446 cm −1 is attributed to Lewis acidic sites. 63 The peak at 1496 cm −1 also corresponds to Lewis acid sites, 64 because of the absence of the characteristic peak at 1650 cm −1 indicative of Brønsted acidic sites.…”

Improving the Glucose to Fructose Isomerization via Epitaxial‐Grafting of Niobium in UIO‐66 Framework

“…Several other solid bases and solid acid heterogeneous catalysts such as MgO, hydrotalcite, MgO/NbP, Nb 2 O 5 , TiO 2 , ZrO 2 , and MgO‐ZrO 2 have been explored for this reaction [48‐53] . Mg‐ZSM‐12 having bi‐functional Lewis acidic and basic sites has been studied for this reaction with a good fructose yield in alcohol [54] . Niobium‐based catalysts have been proven to be one of the competent catalysts in the glucose isomerization reaction in the literature due to the Lewis acidic nature of tetrahedrally coordinated Nb(V) [55‐56] .…”

“…[48][49][50][51][52][53] Mg-ZSM-12 having bi-functional Lewis acidic and basic sites has been studied for this reaction with a good fructose yield in alcohol. [54] Niobium-based catalysts have been proven to be one of the competent catalysts in the glucose isomerization reaction in the literature due to the Lewis acidic nature of tetrahedrally coordinated Nb(V). [55][56] MOF-based heterogeneous catalysts have been extensively studied in the glucose isomerization reaction.…”