Levulinic cellulosic feedstocks

Notably, ethyl or butyl levulinates could be entirely derived from cellulosic feedstocks, without the need for additional hydrogen. However, the chemical properties of these levulinates, including their capacity to act as solvents, would require modification of the materials used in today s combustion systems. Furthermore, longterm road trials employing alkyl levulinate as blends or even as a pure biofuel would be necessary to assess the resulting overall engine efficiency and exhaust emissions. 

Case PA, van Hemingen ARP, Wheeler MC (2012) Liquid hydrocarbon fuels from cellulosic feedstocks via thermal deoxygenation of levulinic acid and formic acid salt mixtures. Green Chem 14 85-89... 

Direct conversion of cellulose in an unpurifled state has been shown in the case of levulinic acid production. Production of levulinic acid as a high-yield direct product of controlled acid hydrolysis of cellulose is an exception to the complex product slate typically produced from biomass feedstocks. While the levulinic acid is only derived from the cellulose portion of the biomass and other components end up as byproducts, technology has now been demonstrated for recovery of the levulinic acid product at yields and purity sufiident to generate market interest". Based on related research developments, levulinic acid may prove to be an important building block for... 

Anotlier related processing byproduct, available in large quantities, is the unrecovered fiber disposed as paper mill sludge. This celiulosic feedstock is usually contaminated with various paper-making chemicals, such as clay and lime which would likely require separation before the cellulose could be used. However, processes are being developed that directly use the carbohydrate, including the levulinic acid process mentioned above. 

AE atom efficiency and F C value for common biomass primary products and some derivatives. Calculated straight from pentose or glucose-based biomass. Cell cellulose, Hcell hemicellulolse, G glucose, X xylose, Mw. molecular weight, co-r co-reagents, co-p co-products, GVL y-valerolactone, LA Levulinic acid, dimethylTHF dimethyltetrahydrofuran stoichiometry of product formation with respect to the feedstock... 

Levuhnic acid is one of the products of selective dehydration of cellulosic biomass feedstocks. Levuhnic acid is produced when six-member ring carbohydrates derived from ceUulose are subjected to acid-catalyzed dehydration conditions (Fig. 9.6) [4, 43]. The other main product of this reaction is formic acid. Although levulinic acid has some potential use as a solvent or in the production of industrial and pharmaceutical chemicals, its current market is minimal [4]. Therefore, the conversion of levulinic acid to a directly usable biofuel has become an important area of interest. In particular, esterification, oxidation, hydrogenation, reductive amination, condensation, and enzymatic conversion have been tested as potential methods to produce useful compounds from levulinic acid [4,44,45]. 

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