Tuning Metal Supported on Zirconia Catalysts for the Selective One-pot Step Hydrogenations of Levoglucosenone

MAZARÍO, J.; PARREÑOS, M.; CHAVEZ-SIFONTES, M.; SPANEVELLO, R. A.; COMBA, M. B.; SUAREZ, A. G.; DOMINE, M. E.

Aachen

Congreso; 14th European Congress on Catalysis; 2019

Europlean Federation of Catalysis Societies

Nowadays, lignocellulosic biomass stands out asthe only renewable alternative to produce organic chemicals. In this sense, levoglucosenone is acellulose derived chiral synthon widely used in organic synthesis. More recently, the Furacelltechnology, a continuous process to convert cellulosic biomass intolevoglucosenone, opened the possibilityof producing, not only fine, but also commodity chemicals starting from thismolecule. Following this idea, Huber and co-workersoffered and insight into how to transform this molecule into high added valueproducts such as α,ω-diols, monomers of polyesters and polyurethanes. Theyreported the use of Pdon carbon, Al2O3 and SiO2-Al2O3 to obtain interesting products viahydrogenation, such as dihydrolevoglucosenone (Cyrene) and levoglucosanol. However,high hydrogen pressures and catalyst loadings, organic solvents, as well ascatalytic deactivation remain as disadvantages for these catalytic processes.In this work the adequate combination of the specific metallic species (Pd, Pt)with the adequate support (SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2,ZrO2) is studied to carry out the selective hydrogenation of levoglucosenoneto either Cyrene or levoglucosanol, avoiding the aforementioneddrawbacks, while understanding the required physicochemical properties toproduce the desired hydrogenated product in highly selective one-pot processes.