Sustainable Approaches for Diphenolic Acid Synthesis in Batch and Continuous Reactors

Diphenolic acid is a promising environmentally friendly alternative to bisphenol A for producing epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics. The conventional synthesis of DPA involves a condensation reaction between phenol and levulinic acid, catalyzed by Brønsted acid catalysts, often mineral ones, which present several drawbacks, such as corrosion and difficulty of recovery/recycling. On this basis, the possibility to use heterogeneous systems, especially those derived from renewable resources, is crucial. In this context, the project PRIN 2020 LEVANTE “LEvulinic acid Valorization through Advanced Novel TEchnologies” aims to synthesize a fully renewable diphenolic acid in the presence of heterogeneous sustainable biomass-derived catalysts. Simultaneously, a Life Cycle Assessment analysis was carried out to compare the environmental impacts of the newly developed diphenolic acid preparation with the conventional chemical route in the presence of mineral acids.