title: Lanthanum(III)-catalyzed degradation of cellulose at 250 degrees C.
abstract: Lanthanum(III) chloride was found to effectively catalyze the degradation of cellulose in water at 250 degrees C. The degradation conversion of cellulose in the presence of a catalytic amount of lanthanum chloride reached 80.3% after 180 s, which corresponded to the turnover number of 83, whereas the reaction did scarcely proceed in the absence of the catalyst. The degradation products were separately quantified as water-soluble (WS), methanol-soluble (MS), methanol-insoluble (MI), and gaseous (G) products. The HPLC and GC analyses revealed that the WS materials are mainly composed of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF), D-glucose, and levulinic acid. Cellobiose, the disaccharide component of cellulose, was scarcely detected during the reaction.
authors.affiliation: Interior Design Research Institute, Fukuoka Industrial Technology Center, Ohkawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Kei-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seri
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakaki
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishida
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007811:Lanthanum / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: C028521:lanthanum chloride; D014867:Water; D007811:Lanthanum; D002482:Cellulose