Issue 8, 2006

A kinetic study on the decomposition of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural into levulinic acid

Abstract

Levulinic acid (LA), accessible by the acid catalyzed degradation of biomass, is potentially a very versatile green intermediate chemical for the synthesis of various (bulk) chemicals for applications like fuel additives, polymers, and resin precursors. We report here a kinetic study on one of the key steps in the conversion of biomass to levulinic acid, i.e. the reaction of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to levulinic acid. The kinetic experiments were performed in a temperature window of 98–181 °C, acid concentrations between 0.05–1 M, and initial HMF concentrations between 0.1 and 1 M. The highest LA yield was 94% (mol/mol), obtained at an initial HMF concentration of 0.1 M and a sulfuric acid concentration of 1 M. The yield at full HMF conversion is independent of the temperature. An empirical rate expression for the main reaction as well as the side reaction to undesired humins was developed using the power law approach. Agreement between experimental and model data is good. The rate expressions were applied to gain insights into optimum process conditions for batch processing.

Graphical abstract: A kinetic study on the decomposition of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural into levulinic acid

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 Dec 2005
Accepted
22 May 2006
First published
22 Jun 2006

Green Chem., 2006,8, 701-709

A kinetic study on the decomposition of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural into levulinic acid

B. Girisuta, L. P. B. M. Janssen and H. J. Heeres, Green Chem., 2006, 8, 701 DOI: 10.1039/B518176C

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