Catalytic production of diesel-type biofuel by conversion of γvalerolactone over noble metal-based bifunctional catalysts

MARTÍNEZ FIGUEREDO, KARLA G; SEGOBIA DARIO; BERTERO NICOLAS

SANTA FE

Workshop; French Argentinean Workshop on Heterogeneous Catalysis; 2023

Valeric esters have been regarded as attractive biofuels due to their considerably energydensity, good volatility-ignition properties and appropriate polarity in comparison with currentbiofuels and passed satisfactorily a 250,000 km road trial [2]. Particularly, pentyl valerate(PV) has a higher volatility, better cold-flow properties and lubricity than FAME and engineefficiency and emissions are not strongly affected when it is blended with diesel up to 20%. There are two possible routes for obtaining PV from GVL. ROUTE 1 is basedon hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis of GVL to pentanoic acid (PA) and subsequentesterification of PA with pentanol (PL), where Brønsted acid sites are required. ROUTE 2involves the transesterification of PL to the carboxylic group of the GVL to form 4-hydroxypentyl valerate (HPV), dehydration of HPV to pentyl 2-pentenoate (PP), where Lewis acidityis necessary, and finally hydrogenation of PP to PV. However, other products such as 4-pentoxy pentyl valerate (PPV) and PA can be formed. The aim of this work was tocorrelate the acid properties of noble metal-based catalysts with their catalytic performance inthe PV production from GVL, PL and H2 following ROUTE 2.