Chemo-Catalytic Transformation of Cellulose and Cellulosic-Derived Waste Materials into Platform Chemicals

Abstract

The transformation of lignocellulosic biomass and residues to valuable products is an important area of modern biotechnology. The residues can include industrial and municipal wastes, agricultural residues, forest residues and natural herbaceous plants. They are mostly composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Cellulose being the most abundant biopolymer on earth, it has been identified as an alternative to petroleum-based feedstock to produce platform chemicals. However, the use of cellulose is challenging due to its recalcitrance to dissolution. At present, the catalytic conversion of cellulose and cellulosic materials is studied by various research groups. This review outlines the procedures for the chemo-catalytic conversion of cellulose to help valorize paper wastes into platform chemicals. These platform chemicals include sorbitol, ethylene glycol, gluconic acid, lactic acid, levulinic acid, and hydroxymethylfurfural, among others. The recent advances on the design and the use of novel homogenous and heterogenous catalysts have been reported. Special attention has been given to heterogenous catalysts due to their green status and scale-up potential. Moreover, the potential to recycle and reuse pulp and paper for bioprocessing has also been reviewed. Finally, the current and future market scenarios for these platform chemicals have been discussed. If economically competitive, these building block chemicals could overtake their fossil-based counterparts.