title: Enhanced heterogeneous catalytic conversion of furfuryl alcohol into butyl levulinate.
abstract: We study the catalytic condensation of furfuryl alcohol with 1-butanol to butyl levulinate. A screening of several commercial and as-synthesized solid acid catalysts shows that propylsulfonic acid-functionalized mesoporous silica outperforms the state-of-the-art phosphotungstate acid catalysts. The catalyst is prepared via template-assisted sol-gel polycondensation of TEOS and MPTMS. It gives 96 % yield (and 100 % selectivity) of butyl levulinate in 4 h at 110 °C. Reaction profiles before and after a hot filtration test confirm that the active catalytic species do not leach into the solution. The catalyst synthesis, characterization, and mode of operation are presented and discussed.
authors: Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati, CNR via U. La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo (Italy); Dipartimento Sistemi Agro-Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Palermo viale delle Science, 90128 Palermo (Italy).
authors: Piera
authors: P
authors: Demma Carà
authors: Rosaria
authors: R
authors: Ciriminna
authors: N R
authors: NR
authors: Shiju
authors: Gadi
authors: G
authors: Rothenberg
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Pagliaro
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D005663:Furans / Q000737:chemistry*; D007982:Levulinic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D009556:Niobium / Q000737:chemistry; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D013451:Sulfonic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D017641:Zeolites / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005663:Furans; D007982:Levulinic Acids; D011137:Polystyrenes; C509969:SBA-15; D013451:Sulfonic Acids; D009556:Niobium; D017641:Zeolites; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; C012986:furfuryl alcohol; C032246:levulinic acid
keywords: alcohols; biomass; esterification; heterogeneous catalysis; solid acids