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Direct catalytic conversion of biomass-derived furan and ethanol to ethylbenzene

Abstract:
Herein, we report a synthetic strategy to convert biomass-derived unsubstituted furan to aromatics at high selectivity, especially to ethylbenzene via alkylation/Diels-Alder cycloaddition using ethanol, while greatly reducing the formation of the main side product, benzofuran, over zeolite catalysts. Using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction and first principles calculations, it is shown that the above methodology favors the formation of aromatic products due to readily alkylation of furan by the first ethanol molecule, followed by Diels-Alder cycloaddition with derived ethylene from the second ethanol molecule on a Brønsted acid site in a one pot synthesis. This gives a double promoting effect: alkyl substituent(s) on furan creates steric hindrance to inhibit self-coupling to benzofuran while alkylated furan (diene) undergoes Diels-Alder reaction more favorably due to higher HOMO energy.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1021/acscatal.7b03952

Authors


More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS Division
Department:
Chemistry; Inorganic Chemistry
Role:
Author
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS Division
Department:
Chemistry; Inorganic Chemistry
Role:
Author
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS Division
Department:
Chemistry; Inorganic Chemistry
Role:
Author


Publisher:
American Chemical Society
Journal:
ACS Catalysis More from this journal
Publication date:
2018-01-10
Acceptance date:
2018-01-10
DOI:
EISSN:
2155-5435


Keywords:
Pubs id:
pubs:817441
UUID:
uuid:b6852d1c-9348-4696-b4b2-8b03a78416be
Local pid:
pubs:817441
Source identifiers:
817441
Deposit date:
2018-01-11

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