Organic Solid Acid Catalyst for Efficient Conversion of Furfuryl Alcohol to Biofuels

Abstract

AbstractWe report the synthesis of a highly active microporous sulphonated monolithic catalyst (HCC‐ML‐SO3H) through the Friedel–Crafts alkylation reaction between carbazole and α,α′‐dibromo‐p‐xylene in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst FeCl3 under refluxing conditions, followed by sulphonation reaction (chlorosulfonic acid treatment under controlled reaction conditions). This sulphonated solid acid catalyst can catalyze the ring opening of furanoid moiety of furfuryl alcohol (FA) and subsequent esterification with various alcohols in one‐pot to produce levulinate esters, which are potential biofuels. Here the porous organic polymer bearing reactive SO3H groups (HCC‐ML‐SO3H) acts as a very reactive solid acid catalyst. Due to large surface area and extensive cross‐linking this porous polymer is very attractive material for the synthesis of levulinate esters from FA under metal free conditions. The catalyst has been characterized by N2 sorption, HR‐TEM, 13C solid state CP MAS NMR, XPS and FT‐IR. The catalyst can be reused for four consecutive reaction cycles without appreciable loss of activity.