title: Recyclable Earth-Abundant Metal Nanoparticle Catalysts for Selective Transfer Hydrogenation of Levulinic Acid to Produce γ-Valerolactone.
abstract: Nanoparticles (NPs) derived from earth-abundant metal(0) carbonyls catalyze conversion of bio-derived levulinic acid into γ-valerolactone in up to 93% isolated yield. This sustainable and green route uses non-precious metal catalysts and can be performed in aqueous or ethanol solution without using hydrogen gas as the hydrogen source. Generation of metal NPs using microwave irradiation greatly enhances the rate of the conversion, enables the use of ethanol as both solvent and hydrogen source without forming the undesired ethyl levulinate, and affords recyclable polymer-stabilized NPs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523-1872, USA), Fax.
authors.forename: Ravikumar R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Gowda
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523-1872, USA), Fax. eugene.chen@colostate.edu.
authors.forename: Eugene Y-X
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D055772:Green Chemistry Technology; D006865:Hydrogenation; D007783:Lactones / Q000737:chemistry*; D007982:Levulinic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007783:Lactones; D007982:Levulinic Acids; C037556:gamma-valerolactone
keywords: earth-abundant metals; homogeneous catalysis; levulinic acid; transfer hydrogenation; γ-valerolactone