Synthesis of renewable diesel with hydroxyacetone and 2-methyl-furan

Diesel or jet fuel range branched alkanes were synthesized for the first time by the combination of hydroxyalkylation-alkylation (HAA) of 2-methylfuran with hydroxyacetone and subsequent hydrodeoxygenation. Due to the electron-withdrawing effect of the hydroxyl group, the hydroxyacetone route exhibited evident advantages (higher HAA reactivity and diesel yield) over the previous acetone route.