(533b) Continuous Hydrogenation of Furfural to Cyclopentanone Using Activated Carbon Monolith Catalysts

Cyclopentanone, defined as a cyclic ketone, plays a key role in synthesis of pharmaceuticals, rubber chemicals, flavors, fragrances, and aviation fuel. The current industrial process in production of cyclopentanone involves a petroleum-based feedstock. During this process, adipic acid undergoes catalytic cyclization at high temperatures to form cyclopentanone. Adipic acid is a petroleum-based chemical that is obtained from oxidization of a cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone mixture in presence of excessive amounts of nitric acid. Generating large amounts of N₂O as by-product is one of the major drawbacks of this adipic acid production process.

Furfural is a green chemical that can be hydrogenated to form cyclopentanone. Acid hydrolysis of hemicellulose-rich biomasses such as corn stover, wheat bran, or corncobs results in xylose. In a second step, furfural can be obtained through catalytic dehydration of xylose. This work focuses on continuous hydrogenation of furfural to cyclopentanone using activated carbon monolith catalysts. Activated carbon monolith catalysts (ACMC), derived from woody biomass, are impregnated with precious metals and used to form cyclopentanone from furfural in the presence of hydrogen. Multiple advantages of using ACMC, in addition to low pressure drop, high mass transfer rates and surface area to volume ratios, are first, the monolith is made from renewable carbon sources, second, high stability in aqueous/acid/base reaction medium and finally, the precious metal can be recovered after combustion of the catalyst. The kinetics of cyclopentanone formation from furfural using ACM impregnated with precious metals will be studied over temperatures of 100 to 180 °C, hydrogen pressures of atmospheric to 300 psig, liquid flow rates of 0.5 to 4 mL/min and hydrogen flow rates of 40 to 100 mL/min. The immediate goal of this work is to develop a kinetic model and rate law, perform comprehensive catalyst characterization correlating structure with function, and determine the longevity of the catalyst.