Themed collection Sustainable catalytic conversions of renewable substrates

Recent advances in catalysis show how a multi-disciplinary approach helps break the barriers encountered during the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into sustainable, value-added fuels and chemicals.

This review summarizes recent developments in FT-catalyst design with regards to optimizing catalyst activity and selectivity towards synthetic fuels.

The oxidative cleavage of unsaturated fatty acids towards aldehydes or carboxylic acids is carried out industrially by ozonolysis. Catalytic alternatives include second- and third-row transition metal as well as more recent Fe systems.

Oxalic acid is an attractive entry to functionalized C₂-products because it can be formed by C–C coupling of two CO₂ molecules under electrocatalytic reduction. Herein, we describe the first attempts to reduce oxalic acid by catalytic hydrosilylation, using B(C₆F₅)₃ as a Lewis acidic catalyst.

Here, we report that the dispersion and environment of acid sites anchored on a periodic mesoporous organosilica play a crucial role in its catalytic activity in water.

Carbon nanofiber supported Ni and Cu nano-particles are active for the anaerobic aqueous phase transformation of polyols into organic acids (glycolic acid and lactic acid) and hydrogen at low temperatures (140–180 °C).

Vapor phase hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of furfural over Mo₂C catalysts at low temperatures (423 K) and ambient pressure showed high/low selectivity to CO bond/C–C bond cleavage, resulting in selectivity to 2-methylfuran and furan of ~50–60% and <1%, respectively.

The catalytic hydrotreatment of two pyrolytic lignins (pine and forestry residue), obtained from the corresponding fast pyrolysis oils, and organosolv Alcell lignin as a benchmark was explored in a batch set-up using Ru/C as the catalyst (400 °C, 4 h, 100 bar initial H₂ pressure).

Two efficient strategies for a direct catalytic and regioselective acetoxylation of terpenes are described.

The cooperative action of Lewis acidic lattice Sn and hydrogen bond donor sites in zeolites is key for efficient glucose isomerization catalysis.

Rates of γ-valerolactone (GVL) decarboxylation were measured in the gas phase under anhydrous conditions from 523–723 K over a series of solid acids including amorphous silica alumina, MFI zeolites, supported phosphotungstic acid, and γ-Al₂O₃.

Methyl 10-undecenoate from castor oil is aminocarbonylated to α,ω-amidoesters for possible use in polyamide or polyester amide monomer production.

Sequential butanediol lactonization and transfer hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis of furfural-derivatives offers new opportunities for reductive upgrading of biomass.

The selective hydrogenation of furfuryl alcohol into 2-methylfuran was investigated at room temperature using palladium supported catalysts.

Hierarchical tin-containing MFI zeolites prepared by alkaline treatment of hydrothermally synthesised Sn-MFI and alkaline-assisted stannation of silicalite-1 efficiently catalyse the aqueous-phase isomerisation of mono- and disaccharides.

Functionalised activated carbons are highly active catalysts for the synthesis of solketal from glycerol under mild and solvent-free conditions.

Zr-containing SBA-16 materials were utilized in glycerol valorization for the production of esters (via reaction with levulinic acid) and glycerol formal (GF) via acetalisation with paraformaldehyde.

Selectivity results for the dehydration of 1,2,6-hexanetriol over solid acid catalysts are reported.

Pre-treatment ball-milling of solid cellulose with a solid catalyst (mix-milling) selectively accelerates the hydrolysis of cellulose to soluble oligomers by 13 times.

The saccharification of wheat straw was improved when an incubation step was performed with Trametes versicolor laccase (TvL) and the mediator 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (1-HBT) prior to an alkaline peroxide extraction (APE).