Carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass

For the purposes of this book, the term petroleum-derived polymers refers to polymers produced from nonrenewable crude oil or natural gas. Also, the term renewablepolymers refers to polymers produced from renewable resources, that is, natural resources that can be replenished within a 100 year time frame. The resources may be replenished naturally or via agricultural techniques. Examples of natural resources are carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass, plant oils, and animal fats. Note that the term renewable is used interchangeably with the term sustainable for the purposes of this book. 

Bredihhin A, Maeorg U, Vares L (2013) Evaluation of carbohydrates and lignocellulosic biomass from different wood species as raw material for the synthesis of 5-bromomethyfurfural. Carbohydr Res 375 63-67... 

Wyman CE. (1995). Economic fundamentals of ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass. In Saddler JN, Penner MH, editors. Enzymatic, Degradation of Insoluble Carbohydrates. Washington, DC American Chemical Society, pp. 272-290. 

Carbohydrate (starch, cellulose and hemicellulose) including lignin from lignocellulosic biomass... 

Brinchi, L., Cotana, F., Foitunati, E., Kenny, J.M., 2013. Production of nanociystalline cellulose from lignocellulosic biomass technology and applications. Carbohydrate Polymer 94, 154-169. 

Brinchi L, Cotana E, Eortunati E, Kenny JM. Production of nanocrystalline cellulose from lignocellulosic biomass technology and applications. Carbohydr Polym 2013 94 154-69. 

Levulinic acid can be manufactured by the acid treatment of starch or the C6-carbohydrates in lignocellulosic biomass via the hydration of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), an intermediate in this reaction. A side product of this reaction is formic acid, which is produced in equimolar amounts. It is also possible to produce levulinic acid from the five carbon carbohydrates in hemicellulose (eg, xylose, arabinose) by the addition of a reduction step (via furfuryl alcohol) subsequent to the acid treatment. Levulinic acid has been endorsed as a significant biorefinery building block due to its high yield from six carbon carbohydrates (Bozell and Petersen, 2010). Levulinic acid contains two reactive functional groups that permit a great number of synthetic transformations. 

This chapter surveys different process options to convert terpenes, plant oils, carbohydrates and lignocellulosic materials into valuable chemicals and polymers. Three different strategies of conversion processes integrated in a biorefinery scheme are proposed from biomass to bioproducts via degraded molecules , from platform molecules to bioproducts , and from biomass to bioproducts via new synthesis routes . Selected examples representative of the three options are given. Attention is focused on conversions based on one-pot reactions involving one or several catalytic steps that could be used to replace conventional synthetic routes developed for hydrocarbons. 

Abstract The synthesis and chemistry of 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF), 5-(chloromethyl)furfural (CMF), and levulinic acid (LA), three carbohydrate-derived platform molecules produced by the chemical-catalytic processing of lignocellulosic biomass, is reviewed. Starting from the historical derivation of these molecules and progressing through modem approaches to their production from biomass feedstocks, this review will then survey their principal derivative chemistries, with particular attention to aspects of commercial relevance, and discuss the relative merits of each molecule in the future of biorefining. 

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