title: Continuous-Flow O-Alkylation of Biobased Derivatives with Dialkyl Carbonates in the Presence of Magnesium-Aluminium Hydrotalcites as Catalyst Precursors.
abstract: The base-catalysed reactions of OH-bearing biobased derivatives (BBDs) including glycerol formal, solketal, glycerol carbonate, furfuryl alcohol and tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol with non-toxic dialkyl carbonates (dimethyl and diethyl carbonate) were explored under continuous-flow (CF) conditions in the presence of three Na-exchanged Y- and X-faujasites (FAUs) and four Mg-Al hydrotalcites (HTs). Compared to previous etherification protocols mediated by dialkyl carbonates, the reported procedure offers substantial improvements not only in terms of (chemo)selectivity but also for the recyclability of the catalysts, workup, ease of product purification and, importantly, process intensification. Characterisation studies proved that both HT30 and KW2000 hydrotalcites acted as catalyst precursors: during the thermal activation pre-treatments, the typical lamellar structure of the hydrotalcite was broken down gradually into a MgO-like phase (periclase) or rather a magnesia-alumina solid solution, which was the genuine catalytic phase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, Via Torino, 155, Venezia Mestre, Italy.|Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis for Sustainability, School of Chemistry F11, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cattelan
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, Via Torino, 155, Venezia Mestre, Italy.
authors.forename: Alvise
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perosa
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, Via Torino, 155, Venezia Mestre, Italy.
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riello
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis for Sustainability, School of Chemistry F11, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maschmeyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, Via Torino, 155, Venezia Mestre, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9986-2393
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Selva
mesh_terms: D000478:Alkylation; D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry*; D000536:Aluminum Hydroxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D002254:Carbonates / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D005663:Furans / Q000737:chemistry; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry; D008274:Magnesium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008276:Magnesium Hydroxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D008970:Molecular Weight
chemical_list: D002254:Carbonates; D005663:Furans; C010467:hydrotalcite; D000536:Aluminum Hydroxide; D000535:Aluminum; C012986:furfuryl alcohol; D008274:Magnesium; D008276:Magnesium Hydroxide; D005990:Glycerol; C018675:tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol
keywords: alkylation; aluminium; biomass; continuous flow; hydrotalcites