Eterificación de 5-HMF con Etanol sobre catalizadores mesoporosos de acidez regulada para obtención de EMF como bio-aditivo de diesel

L.G. TONUTTI; C.J. SAUCINA; B.S. SANCHEZ; G. MENDOW; J.M. GRAU

Santa Fe

Congreso; XXI Congreso Argentino de Catálisis - X Congreso de Catálisis del Mercosur; 2019

Sociedad Argentina de Catálisis

The obtaining of Ethoxymethylfurane (EMF) by etherification of Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) with ethanol over acidic mesoporous catalysts for use as bio-additive of diesel is evaluated. The HMF is obtained by dehydration of hexoses, product of the hydrolysis of biomass. The etherification is catalyzed by acidic sites of characteristics (B/L) and determined strength. In addition, a suitable structure of porosity is needed to avoid diffusive controls of reagents and products. The performance of the mesoporous silicas MCM-41 and SBA-15, whose acidity has been regulated by sulfonating, is compared. The stability of the best performing EMF catalyst during 4 reaction cycles is also evaluated. The catalysts are characterized by DRX, N2 desorption and potentiometric titration to determine acidity. The catalytic activity is analyzed in a batch reactor with solutions of HMF (15%) in ethanol, at 140 °C and 7 bar of N2, for 3 h. The incorporation of sulfonic groups to SBA-15, under the selected reaction conditions, increases the conversion giving a maximum of 94% in the sample with 10% sulfur and an EMF yield of 85%. The catalyst loses 18% of activity after 4 operating cycles, mainly due to mechanical fragility.