Catalytic Conversion of Biomass-Derived Carbohydrates to Methyl Lactate by Acid-Base Bifunctional γ-Al2O3

We report the catalytic conversion of biomass-derived carbohydrates to methyl lactate using metal oxides. The combination of Lewis acid-base sites on gamma-Al2O3 is superior to several amphoteric oxides for the production of methyl lactate from both dihydroxyacetone and glucose in methanol. The successful production of methyl lactate from glucose by gamma-Al2O3 is attributed to high densities of both acid and base functionalities that are essential for the promotion of the stepwise reaction, which consists of isomerization, retro-aldol, and dehydration reactions.