Efficient, chemical-catalytic approach to the production of 3-hydroxypropanoic acid by oxidation of biomass-derived levulinic acid with hydrogen peroxide.
3-Hydroxypropanoic acid (HPA), a precursor to acrylic acid, can be produced in high yield by oxidation of the biomass-derived platform chemical levulinic acid. While treatment of levulinic acid with H2 O2 under acidic conditions gives predominantly succinic acid, a remarkable reversal of selectivity is observed under basic conditions, leading either directly to HPA or, under modified conditions, initially to 3-(hydroperoxy)propanoic acid, which can be quantitatively hydrogenated to HPA.
Department of Chemistry, University of California Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 (USA).
Linglin
L
Wu
Saikat
S
Dutta
Mark
M
Mascal
D018533:Biomass; D002384:Catalysis; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D007982:Levulinic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
D007982:Levulinic Acids; D019344:Lactic Acid; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; C031601:hydracrylic acid; C032246:levulinic acid
3-hydroxypropanoic acid; biomass; catalysis; levulinic acid; renewable resources