Integrating Biomass into the Organonitrogen Chemical Supply Chain: Production of Pyrrole and d-Proline from Furfural.

Abstract

Production of renewable, high-value N-containing chemicals from lignocellulose will expand product diversity and increase the economic competitiveness of the biorefinery. Herein, we report a single-step conversion of furfural to pyrrole in 75 % yield as a key N-containing building block, achieved via tandem decarbonylation-amination reactions over tailor-designed Pd@S-1 and H-beta zeolite catalytic system. Pyrrole was further transformed into dl-proline in two steps following carboxylation with CO2 and hydrogenation over Rh/C catalyst. After treating with Escherichia coli, valuable d-proline was obtained in theoretically maximum yield (50 %) bearing 99 % ee. The report here establishes a route bridging commercial commodity feedstock from biomass with high-value organonitrogen chemicals through pyrrole as a hub molecule.