Elucidation of the Catalytic Pathway for the Direct Conversion of Furfuryl Alcohol into γ-Valerolactone over Al2O3-SiO2 Catalysts

Chuangpusri, Pichaya; Jantasee, Sasiradee; Weerachawanasak, Patcharaporn; Tolek, Weerachon; Ngamcharussrivichai, Chawalit; Tungasmita, Duangamol N.; Sathitsuksanoh, Noppadon; Panpranot, Joongjai

doi:10.1021/acsomega.3c05412

Elucidation of the Catalytic Pathway for the Direct Conversion of Furfuryl Alcohol into γ-Valerolactone over Al2O3-SiO2 Catalysts

Author(s)

Chuangpusri, Pichaya

Jantasee, Sasiradee

Weerachawanasak, Patcharaporn

Tolek, Weerachon

Ngamcharussrivichai, Chawalit

Tungasmita, Duangamol N.

Sathitsuksanoh, Noppadon

Panpranot, Joongjai

Date Issued

December 12, 2023

Type

Article

DOI

10.1021/acsomega.3c05412

Abstract

The one-pot conversion of furfuryl alcohol (FA) into GVL was investigated over the sol-gel-synthesized Al2O3-SiO2 (AlSi) catalysts with various Al2O3 loadings (0.2-10 wt %) and commercial zeolites including MFI-1, H-ZSM5, H-beta, and HY-15 in a batch reactor under mild reaction conditions (130 °C, 1 bar N2, and 15-120 min). The reaction pathways depend largely on the acid properties of the catalysts, especially the types of Bronsted (B) and Lewis (L) acid sites. A tandem alcoholysis/hydrogenation/cyclization sequence is dominant on the AlSi catalysts (Al ≥ 4%) and all the zeolites except MFI-1, resulting in complete conversion of FA and GVL with an yield 64-75% with IPL as the major side-product, regardless of the differences in their B/L ratios 0.06-1.35. In the absence of B acid sites (i.e., 0.2% AlSi and MFI-1 catalysts), FA could be straightforwardly converted into GVL on the weak Lewis acid sites from the isolated silanol groups using 2-propanol as a hydrogen source. The AlSi catalysts are promising tunable catalysts for FA conversion with good recyclability.

Citation

ACS Omega, 8(49), 46560-46568, 2023