Fe2(SO4)3-Catalyzed Levulinic Acid Esterification: Production of Fuel Bioadditives

Fernanda Martins,Marcio Silva,Fabio Rodrigues

doi:10.3390/en11051263

Abstract

In this work, we developed a route to synthesize fuel bioadditives based on simple and inexpensive commercial catalyst: iron(III) sulfate. This process is an alternative to the traditional Brønsted acid catalysts, avoiding steps to neutralize the catalyst, which generates a large amount of effluents and residues. High conversions (ca. 90%) and selectivity (90–97%) for alkyl esters of levulinic acid with carbon chain ranging from C6–C9 were obtained, when Fe2(SO4)3 was the catalyst. The role of each component catalyst system was studied, with a special attention on the reaction temperature, stoichiometry of reactants and catalyst concentration. We investigate the catalytic activity of others commercial transition metal salts (i.e., Fe2(SO4)3, FeCl3, CuSO4, FeSO4, MnSO4, NiSO4). Although soluble, the Fe2(SO4)3 catalyst was easily recovered by silica column chromatography, in the same step of products purification, and reused without loss activity. The use of renewable raw material and an efficient, inexpensive and recyclable catalyst are the main positive features of this process.

Highlights

The lignocellulosic biomass is an unlimited source of compounds whose industrial production can reduce the consumption of petroleum derivatives chemicals and arise as a strategic raw material for the economy and the environment of our planet [1,2]
The inevitable depleting of fossil fuels, as well as the high environmental impact generated during its burn that results in greenhouse effect gas has reinforced the necessity of developing renewable origin chemicals and biofuels [8,9]
The authors think that renewable biomass resources can help to solve problems of the energy crisis, and certainly can to decrease the current dependence of fossil derivatives

Summary

Introduction

The lignocellulosic biomass is an unlimited source of compounds whose industrial production can reduce the consumption of petroleum derivatives chemicals and arise as a strategic raw material for the economy and the environment of our planet [1,2]. Wood wasting, feed crop residues, and other byproducts generated by industry of cellulose processing are highly available feedstocks, which contain compounds that are potential platform molecule for the future biorefinery [3,4,5]. The conversion of biomass derivatives to chemicals of high added value or biofuels has become important from viewpoint industrial and environmental [6,7]. The inevitable depleting of fossil fuels, as well as the high environmental impact generated during its burn that results in greenhouse effect gas has reinforced the necessity of developing renewable origin chemicals and biofuels [8,9]. All of the processes can convert biomass waste to fuels

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Results

Conclusion