Chemocatalytic Conversion of Cellulosic Biomass to Methyl Glycolate, Ethylene Glycol, and Ethanol. Issue 7 (20th March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xu, Gang; Wang, Aiqin; Pang, Jifeng; Zhao, Xiaochen; Xu, Jinming; Lei, Nian; Wang, Jia; Zheng, Mingyuan; Yin, Jianzhong; Zhang, Tao
• Is Part Of: ChemSusChem. Volume 10:Issue 7(2017)
• Page Start: 1390
• Page End: 1394
• Publication Date: 2017-03-20
• Subjects: biomass -- ethanol -- ethylene glycol -- methyl glycolate -- supported catalysts; Green chemistry -- Periodicals; Sustainable engineering -- Periodicals; Chemistry -- Periodicals; Chemical engineering -- Periodicals; 660
• DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201601714
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1864-5631

Abstract

Abstract: Production of chemicals and fuels from renewable cellulosic biomass is important for the creation of a sustainable society, and it critically relies on the development of new and efficient transformation routes starting from cellulose. Here, a chemocatalytic conversion route from cellulosic biomass to methyl glycolate (MG), ethylene glycol (EG), and ethanol (EtOH) is reported. By using a tungsten‐based catalyst, cellulose is converted into MG with a yield as high as 57.7 C % in a one‐pot reaction in methanol at 240 °C and 1 MPa O2, and the obtained MG can be easily separated by distillation. Afterwards, it can be nearly quantitatively converted to EG at 200 °C and to EtOH at 280 °C with a selectivity of 50 % through hydrogenation over a Cu/SiO2 catalyst. By this approach, the fine chemical MG, the bulk chemical EG, and the fuel additive EtOH can all be efficiently produced from renewable cellulosic materials, thus providing a new pathway towards mitigating the dependence on fossil resources. Abstract : One green pot : A new chemocatalytic conversion route from cellulosic biomass to methyl glycolate, ethylene glycol, and ethanol is developed. In the first step, methyl glycolate is produced up to a yield of 57.7 C % from the one‐pot transformation of cellulose in methanol through catalysis of WO x and the assistance of O2 ; then, methyl glycolate is further hydrogenated in the second step to ethylene glycol and ethanol over a Cu/SiO2 catalyst.