Life cycle assessment of p,p’-diphenolic acid synthesis from levulinic acid and Phenol

Diphenolic acid is increasingly recognized as a promising, safer alternative to bisphenol A. Traditionally, piphenolic acid is synthesized through a condensation reaction between phenol and levulinic acid, typically involving mineral acids such as sulfuric acid as catalysts. However, the use of these acids presents several challenges, focusing the research towards heterogeneous catalytic systems, obtained from biomass. This study explores a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) of p,p'-diphenolic acid production at the laboratory-scale, starting from levulinic acid and phenol, using a novel biomass-derived catalyst. By adopting a comparative approach, the environmental impacts of the reaction catalyzed by homogeneous catalyst (sulfuric acid) and the heterogeneous one were assessed. This study suggests several strategies aimed at reducing impacts, including maximizing yield through catalyst recycling and the potential recovery and reuse of the reaction mixture. In conclusion, the innovative early-stage process analyzed in this study demonstrates competitive environmental performance when compared to the traditional method. As process efficiency improves, it holds the potential for even more promising results.