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Selective Hydrogenation of Furan‐Containing Condensation Products as a Source of Biomass‐Derived Diesel Additives
Author(s) -
Balakrishnan Madhesan,
Sacia Eric R.,
Bell Alexis T.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201402764
Subject(s) - furan , hydrodeoxygenation , cetane number , organic chemistry , diesel fuel , chemistry , catalysis , ionic liquid , biodiesel , selectivity
In this study, we demonstrate that while the energy density and lubricity of the C 15 and C 16 products of furan condensation of biomass‐derived aldehydes with 2‐methylfuran are consistent with requirements for diesel, these products do not meet specifications for cetane number and pour point due to their aromatic furan rings. However, a novel class of products that fully meet or exceed most specifications for diesel can be produced by converting the furan rings in these compounds to cyclic ether moieties. Full hydrodeoxygenation of furan condensation products to alkanes would require 55–60 % higher hydrogen demand, starting from biomass, compared to the products of furan ring saturation, providing an additional incentive to support the saturated products. We also report here on a tunable class of catalysts that contain Pd nanoparticles supported on ionic liquid‐modified SiO 2 that can achieve complete saturation of the furan rings in yields of 95 % without opening these rings.