Release Time:2019-03-12  Hits:

Indexed by: Journal Article

Date of Publication: 2017-04-10

Journal: CHEMSUSCHEM

Included Journals: PubMed、EI、SCIE

Volume: 10

Issue: 7

Page Number: 1390-1394

ISSN: 1864-5631

Key Words: biomass; ethanol; ethylene glycol; methyl glycolate; supported catalysts

Abstract: Production of chemicals and fuels from renewable cellulosic biomass is important for the creation of a sustainable society, and it critically relies on the development of new and efficient transformation routes starting from cellulose. Here, a chemocatalytic conversion route from cellulosic biomass to methyl glycolate (MG), ethylene glycol (EG), and ethanol (EtOH) is reported. By using a tungsten-based catalyst, cellulose is converted into MG with a yield as high as 57.7C% in a one-pot reaction in methanol at 240 degrees C and 1MPa O-2, and the obtained MG can be easily separated by distillation. Afterwards, it can be nearly quantitatively converted to EG at 200 degrees C and to EtOH at 280 degrees C with a selectivity of 50% through hydrogenation over a Cu/SiO2 catalyst. By this approach, the fine chemical MG, the bulk chemical EG, and the fuel additive EtOH can all be efficiently produced from renewable cellulosic materials, thus providing a new pathway towards mitigating the dependence on fossil resources.