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

Drew J. Braden; Carlos A. Henao; Jacob Heltzel; Christos C. Maravelias; James A. Dumesic

doi:10.1039/c1gc15047b

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

Drew J. Braden, Carlos A. Henao, Jacob Heltzel, Christos C. Maravelias, James A. Dumesic

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

293 Scopus citations

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.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1755-1765
Number of pages	11
Journal	Green Chemistry
Volume	13
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1039/c1gc15047b
State	Published - Jul 5 2011
Externally published	Yes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Environmental Chemistry
Pollution

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10.1039/c1gc15047b

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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.",

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AU - Braden, Drew J.

AU - Henao, Carlos A.

AU - Heltzel, Jacob

AU - Maravelias, Christos C.

AU - Dumesic, James A.

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AB - 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.

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

Abstract

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