USA-China Progress in Biomass Conversion Technologies II

In-situ Catalytic System to Convert Biomass-derived Methyl Levulinate to ƒ×-Valerolactone in Methanol Xing Tang1 Zheng Li1 Yetao Jiang1 Xianhai Zeng1 Yong Sun1 Lu Lin1,* 1 College of Energy, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, P.R. China *Corresponding Author¡¦s E-mail: lulin@xmu.edu.cn ABSTRACT In this work, the conversion of methyl levulinate (ML) to ƒ×-valerolactone (GVL) was performed using MeOH as an in situ hydrogen source over nanocopper catalyst. This nanocopper catalyst served as a dual-function catalyst for both hydrogen production by MeOH reforming and hydrogenation of ML. Nearly quantitative ML conversion with a GVL selectivity of 87.6% was achieved at 240 „aC in 1 h in MeOH. ML in the methanolysis products of cellulose also could be hydrogenated to GVL over this nanocopper catalyst even in the presence of humins, giving an ML conversion of 94.1% and a GVL selectivity of 73.2% at 240 „aC in 4 h. The absorption behavior of humins on the surface of the nanocopper catalyst was observed, which resulted in a pronounced increase in the acidic sites of the nanocopper catalyst that facilitate ring-opening and the hydrocarboxylation of GVL to byproducts. Keywords: Methanol; Methyl levulinate; ƒ×-Valerolactone.