Hydrogenation of oxygenated molecules from biomass refining

1. A method for producing 2-butanone and a conversion product, the method comprising:

dehydrogenating 2-butanol to yield 2-butanone, thereby releasing hydrogen;

using hydrogen released from the dehydrogenating in a conversion reaction, wherein the conversion reaction converts a biomass-derived molecule to a conversion product; and

recovering 2-butanone and the conversion product.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biomass-derived molecule is derived from lignocellulosic biomass.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the biomass-derived molecule is selected from a saccharide, a dehydrated saccharide, a halodehydrated saccharide, a dehydrated and partially-hydrogenated saccharide, and a hydrogenated saccharide, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biomass-derived molecule is selected from a monosaccharide, an oligosaccharide, furfural, halofurfural, methyl furfural, furfuryl alcohol, methyl furfuryl alcohol, (methoxymethyl)-methyl furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, 2-methylfuran, dimethylfuran, 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-[(1-methylethoxy)methyl] furan, 2-methyl-5[(1-methylmethoxy)methyl] furan, bis(1-methoxyethoxy)-methyl furan, tetrahydrofuran, levoglucosenone, 1,2,6-hexanetriol, 1,2,5-pentanetriol, 1,2,4-butanetriol, 2,4-dihydroxy butanoic acid, 2,4-hydroxybutanoic acid, succinic acid, malic acid, maleic acid, xylitol, mannitol, sorbitol, erythritol, arabitol, and galactitol, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the biomass-derived molecule is selected from furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, and 2,4-hydroxybutanoic acid.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conversion product is selected from 1,6-hexanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, hexanetriol, 1,2,4-butanetriol, 2-methyl furan, furfuryl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran, bi-hydroxymethyl furan, 5-[(1-methylpropoxy)methyl]-2-furancarboxaldehyde, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-[(1-methylpropoxy)methyl] furan, 2-methyl-5-[(1-methylpropoxy)methyl]furan, and 2,5-[bis(1-methylpropoxy)methyl] furan.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the conversion product is selected from 1,6-hexanediol, 1,4-butanediol, and 1,5-pentanediol.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising diluting the 2-butanol with a solvent, wherein the solvent is inert in the conversion reaction.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the solvent comprises a C 4 -C 18 hydrocarbon.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising catalyzing the dehydrogenating or the conversion reaction with a catalyst.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the catalyst is selected from a copper-based catalyst, a Raney nickel-based catalyst, a metal-containing organosilica-based catalyst, and an iridium complex-based catalyst, or a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising a co-catalyst, an enhancer, a promoter, or a combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conversion reaction comprises conversion of furfural to 1,5-pentanediol.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conversion reaction comprises conversion of hydroxymethylfurfural to 1,6-hexanediol.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conversion reaction comprises conversion of 2,4-hydroxybutanoic acid to 1,4-butanediol.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dehydrogenating and the conversion reaction occur in the same reaction vessel.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dehydrogenating and the conversion reaction occur in more than one reaction vessels, wherein the more than one reaction vessels are functionally connected either continuously or discontinuously.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least 40% of the 2-butanol is dehydrogenated.

19. A reaction mixture comprising:

2-butanol;

2-butanone;

a biomass-derived molecule; and

a conversion product,

wherein the conversion product is obtainable from a conversion reaction of the biomass-derived molecule, and wherein the conversion reaction comprises hydrogenation, hydrogenolysis, or hydrodeoxygenation.

20. The reaction mixture of claim 19 , wherein the biomass-derived molecule is derived from lignocellulosic biomass.

21. The reaction mixture of claim 19 , wherein the biomass-derived molecule is selected from a saccharide, a dehydrated saccharide, a halodehydrated saccharide, a dehydrated and partially-hydrogenated saccharide, and a hydrogenated saccharide, or a combination thereof.

22. The reaction mixture of claim 19 , wherein the biomass-derived molecule is selected from furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, and 2,4-hydroxybutanoic acid.

23. The reaction mixture of claim 19 , further comprising an inert solvent.

24. The reaction mixture of claim 23 , wherein the inert solvent is selected from hexane, cyclohexane, heptane, octane, decane, and dodecane, or a combination thereof.

25. The reaction mixture of claim 19 , further comprising a catalyst.

26. The reaction mixture of claim 19 , further comprising hydrogen.

27. The reaction mixture of claim 19 , wherein the conversion product is selected from 1,6-hexanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, hexanetriol, 1,2,4-butanetriol, 2-methyl furan, furfuryl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran, bi-hydroxymethyl furan, 5-[(1-methylpropoxy)methyl]-2-furancarboxaldehyde, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-[(1-methylpropoxy)methyl] furan, 2-methyl-5-[(1-methylpropoxy)methyl]furan, and 2,5-[bis(1-methylpropoxy)methyl] furan, or a combination thereof.

28. The reaction mixture of claim 19 , wherein the conversion product is selected from 1,6-hexanediol, 1,4-butanediol, and 1,5-pentanediol.

29. The reaction mixture of claim 19 , wherein the 2-butanol, 2-butanone, biomass-derived molecule, and conversion product are in the same reaction vessel.

30. The reaction mixture of claim 19 , wherein the 2-butanol and 2-butanone are in a different reaction vessel than the biomass-derived molecule and conversion product, and wherein the reaction vessels are functionally connected either continuously or discontinuously.