Efficient Conversion of Levulinic Acid into γ-Valerolactone over Raney Ni Catalyst Prepared from Melt-quenching Alloy

Hydrogenation of levulinic acid (LA) was investigated with several commercial catalysts for the production of gamma-valerolactone (GVL). In contrast with other catalysts, Raney Ni prepared from melt-quenching alloy (RQ-Ni) performed the best activity and selectivity. Under the optimal reaction conditions of 373 K and 1.5 MPa for 4 h, 99.3 % conversion of LA and 98.1 % selectivity of GVL were obtained with isopropanol solvent. RQ-Ni with low cost offered a better alternative than noble metal catalysts and it also was more stable than commercial Raney Ni catalyst.