Formic acid, a biomass-derived source of energy and hydrogen for biomass upgrading

Abstract

Formic acid is a main product from biomass-derived carbohydrates and is attracting ever more attention as a sustainable hydrogen source, owing to its high volumetric hydrogen density of 53 g of H₂ per liter. In this review, we give an overview of the formic acid mediated transformations of biomass-based feedstocks into added-value products, including biofuels; attention will be primarily focused on the transformation of biomass-derived platform chemicals, with an emphasis on levulinic acid. Formic-acid mediated lignin depolymerization and biomass-oil upgrading will be also discussed.