11 - Solid catalysts for furfuryl alcohol conversion to drop-in chemicals

Abstract

In recent times, fuel production has reduced as a result of declining fossil fuel reserves, fluctuating oil prices, global population usage, and environmental concerns caused by the greenhouse effect. These factors were identified and a great deal of effort was made to develop and explore other resources, such as lignocellulosic biomass, to produce biofuels and biomass-based chemicals. Among biomass-derived molecules, furfuryl alcohol is known to be the most promising molecule that offers a renewable means of converting biomass into benign products. The ultimate goal of this chapter is to provide current details on the conversion of furfuryl alcohol into biofuels and additives using solid catalysts. The chapter emphasizes several reactions involved in the conversion of furfuryl alcohol, such as alcoholysis to obtain alkyl levulinates, etherification to ethyl furfuryl ether, hydrogenation to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, and oligomerization to diesel and kerosene products. The factors that influence catalytic performance, such as the effect of reaction temperature, time, catalyst loading, the mole ratio of reactants, and reaction mechanisms, are highlighted in this chapter. At the end of this chapter, we briefly describe the potential for future improvements in the catalytic system and processes.