Catalytic conversion of grass biomass to chemicals and biofuels

Lignocellulosic biomass can be converted into platform chemicals, such as 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde and levulinic acid (LA), by acid hydrothermal treatment. This route represents a sustainable solution to the increasing demand of these chemicals, allowing security of supply and economic advantage, in particular when cheap raw materials or agricultural residues are employed as substrates. Now we have studied a novel process for the complete and efficient acid-catalyzed exploitation of grass raw biomass. Giant reed, sorghum and miscanthus were used as starting materials for LA production. LA was successively hydrogenated to gamma-valerolactone (GVL) which is not only a sustainable liquid but also a valuable fuel additive and a precursor for new biofuels.The combined hydrogenation-decarboxylation of levulinic acid and of GVL to give 2-butanol and methyl-THF were also studied in the presence of Ru, Pd and Re catalytic systems.