Hydrogen-transfer conversion of furfural into levulinate esters as potential biofuel feedstock

Furfural is directly converted to levulinate esters (isopropyl levulinate and furan-2-ylmethyl-levulinate) as potential biofuel feedstocks, through a combined catalytic strategy. Nb2O5-ZrO2 mixed oxide microspheres are used as bifunctional catalysts for hydrogen-transfer hydrogenation and acid-catalyzed alcoholysis in isopropanol. Bifunctional catalysts improve sustainability of furfural conversion through process intensification. Hydrogen transfer hydrogenation from isopropanol avoids dangerous hydrogen gas, and abates process and environmental costs. Isopropyl levulinate and furan-2-ylmethyl-levulinate are the main products that can be applied as blending components in biodiesel or hydrocarbon fuels. (C) 2016 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B. V. and Science Press. All rights reserved.