Catalytic conversion of cellulose to liquid hydrocarbon fuels by progressive removal of oxygen to facilitate separation processes and achieve high selectivities
Described is a method to make liquid chemicals. The method includes deconstructing cellulose to yield a product mixture comprising levulinic acid and formic acid, converting the levulinic acid to γ-valerolactone, and converting the γ-valerolactone to pentanoic acid. Alternatively, the γ-valerolactone can be converted to a mixture of n-butenes. The pentanoic acid can be decarboxylated yield 1-butene or ketonized to yield 5-nonanone. The 5-nonanone can be hydrodeoxygenated to yield nonane, or 5-nonanone can be reduced to yield 5-nonanol. The 5-nonanol can be dehydrated to yield nonene, which can be dimerized to yield a mixture of C 9 and C 18 olefins, which can be hydrogenated to yield a mixture of alkanes.
1. A method for converting glucose to pentanoic acid, the method comprising:
(a) hydrolyzing glucose derived from any source in an aqueous, acid-catalyzed reaction to yield a product mixture comprising levulinic acid and formic acid; then
(b) converting at least a portion of the formic acid present in the product mixture to H 2 and CO 2 without separating the levulinic acid and formic acid present in the product mixture; and
(c) reducing at least a portion of the levulinic acid present in the product mixture to γ-valerolactone using the H 2 produced in step (b); and then
(d) reducing at least a portion of the γ-valerolactone from step (c) to pentanoic acid in the presence H 2 produced from xylose or gasification.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (d) comprises reducing the γ-valerolactone to pentanoic acid by contacting the γ-valerolactone with a catalyst comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, W, Pd, Ag, Pt, Au, and combinations thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (d) comprises reducing the γ-valerolactone to pentanoic acid by contacting the γ-valerolactone with a catalyst comprising Nb and Pd.