Levulinic Acid Biorefineries: New Challenges for Efficient Utilization of Biomass

Levulinic acid is a sustainable platform molecule that can be upgraded to valuable chemicals and fuel additives. This article focuses on the catalytic upgrading of levulinic acid into various chemicals such as levulinate esters, -aminolevulinic acid, succinic acid, diphenolic acid, -valerolactone, and -valerolactone derivatives such valeric esters, 5-nonanone, -methylene- valerolactone, and other various molecular-weight alkanes (C-9 and C-18-C-27 olefins).