A comprehensive study on butanolysis of furfuryl alcohol to butyl levulinate using tungstated zirconia and sulfonated carbon catalysts

Abstract

This work presents the formation of butyl levulinate, a potential fuel additive, and an excellent renewable chemical obtained by the butanolysis of furfuryl alcohol (FAL) over a solid acid catalyst. The butanolysis of furfuryl alcohol reaction is a strong function of acidity for which tungstated zirconia (WO3-ZrO2), a robust solid acid catalyst, and a sulfonated carbon catalyst were employed to produce high yields of butyl levulinate targeting a lower initial molar ratio of butanol to FAL. A maximum of 28 mol% yield of butyl levulinate was obtained with tungstated zirconia catalyst. Easily prepared sulfonated carbon catalyst at high reaction temperatures facilitated the complete conversion of reaction intermediate, 2-butoxymethylfuran (2-BMF) through which butyl levulinate was formed, and as high as 80 mol% of butyl levulinate yield was produced at an initial mole ratio of 8.5:1 of butanol to FAL. The better results of sulfonated carbon catalyst could be attributed to the presence of -SO3H, carboxylic acid, and phenolic OH groups on the carbon surface.