Production of cellulosic gasoline via levulinic ester self-condensation

Most biomass to biofuel processes are limited to the production of linear or minimally branched hydrocarbons. Motor gasoline, however, consists of highly branched linear and/or cyclic alkanes. This work describes the optimization of the levulinic ester self-condensation reaction and the efficient conversion of its products, which are highly branched cyclopentadienes, into a mixture of substituted cyclopentanes with high octane ratings and excellent density and flow properties.