Anchored silicotungstic acid: Study of the synthesis of biofuel additive from levulinic acid & effect of supports

Abstract

The present article reports the synthesis of butyl levulinate, a potential biofuel additive via the esterification of levulinic acid and n-butanol. A sustainable catalytic approach using heterogeneous catalysts based on 12-tungstosilicic acid (SiW12) and supports, nMCM-48 and MCM-22 was developed via a detailed optimization study to achieve maximum selectivity of butyl levulinate (≥95%) at mild reaction conditions and reused the catalysts for multiple runs. Importantly, the effect of nature as well as the structure of the supports on activity was studied via kinetic experiments and comparative studies. Based on this, the best catalyst was proposed and wide range of alkyl levulinates, possessing fuel-blending properties were synthesized using best catalyst, showcasing its versatile nature.