Production of γ-valerolactone (GVL) from one-pot cascade transformation of furfural over PT/zeolite-based catalysts

Abstract

γ-valerolactone (GVL) is a green renewable resource, which can be used as fuel additives, organic solvent in food industries, pharmaceutical intermediates. The direct production of GVL from furfural in a one-pot transformation is highly desirable in order to minimize the use of solvents, the number of unit operations, and the production cost. The cascade reaction was carried out in a single reactor, using a secondary alcohol as the hydrogen donor with acid catalysts (so-called Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley reaction). In this work, the transfer hydrogenation of furfural with 2-propanal as a hydrogen donor was investigated on various zeolites including of HY with Si/Al ratios 15, 100, and 500, H-ZSM-5, and H-Beta. Moreover, the effect of Pt metal as a promoter, effect of temperature, gas and pressure condition were also studied. The characteristics and catalyst properties were analyzed by XRD, N2-physisorption, NH3 -TPD, Pyridine-IR, SEM and ICP. The reaction was normally carried out in a batch reactor under nitrogen atmosphere at 120 °C and 5 h reaction time. The HY-15 zeolite presented the highest yield of GVL at 46.2%. Their superior catalytic performances were attributed to the large pore size, high Bronsted to Lewis ratio, and high total acidity. Over HY zeolites, furfuryl ether could be converted to isopropyl levulinate rather than angelica lactone, which was found on H-ZSM-5 via a non-preferred reaction pathway.