Conversion of furfuryl alcohol into ethyl levulinate using solid acid catalysts.
Furfural, a potential coproduct of levulinic acid, can be converted into levulinic acid via hydrogenation to furfuryl alcohol and subsequent ethanolysis to ethyl levulinate. The ethanolysis reaction is known to proceed in the presence of H(2)SO(4). We show here that several strongly acidic resins are comparably effective catalysts for this reaction. Optimal performance is achieved by balancing the number of acid sites with their accessibility in the resin. Acidic zeolites such as H-ZSM-5 also catalyze this reaction, although with a lower activity and a higher co-production of diethyl ether.
Shell Global Solutions, Shell Research and Technology Centre, Badhuisweg 3, Amsterdam, Netherlands. jean-paul.lange@shell.com
Jean-Paul
JP
Lange
Wouter D
WD
van de Graaf
René J
RJ
Haan
D002384:Catalysis; D005663:Furans / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007475:Ion Exchange Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D007982:Levulinic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013464:Sulfuric Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D017641:Zeolites / Q000737:chemistry*
D005663:Furans; D007475:Ion Exchange Resins; D007982:Levulinic Acids; D011108:Polymers; D013464:Sulfuric Acids; D017641:Zeolites; C542586:ethyl levulinate; C012986:furfuryl alcohol; C033158:sulfuric acid