Biomass conversion technologies: catalytic conversion technologies

Abstract

Diminishing fossil fuel reserves and global warming issues are driving society toward the search for new renewable sources of energy . Lignocellulosic can significantly displace petroleum in the production of fuels . Oxygenated fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel currently dominate the fuel market although they have important limitations. The production of liquid hydrocarbon fuels from biomass is a paradigmatic transformation allowing the production of fuels chemically identical to those currently used in the transportation sector. The present chapter describes some of the catalytic strategies used to transform biomass-derived molecules into liquid hydrocarbon fuels. These strategies are first focused on decreasing the oxygen content of the original molecule such that its reactivity can be more easily controlled. In a subsequent step, the less oxygenated intermediates are upgraded via C–C coupling reactions to increase the length chain to produce a final product suitable for diesel and jet fuel applications. The present chapter offers a number of examples on biomass-derived acids such as lactic and levulinic acids and biomass sugars such as glucose catalytically transformed into liquid hydrocarbon fuels.