ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

A comparative study on direct production of ethyl levulinate from glucose in ethanol media catalysed by different acid catalysts

Gui-Zhuan Xu, Chun Chang, Wei-Na Zhu, Bo Li, Xiao-Jian Ma, and Feng-Guang Du

College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Henan Agricultural University, Wenhua Road 95, Zhengzhou, 450002, China

E-mail: chunchang@zzu.edu.cn

Abstract: Direct production of ethyl levulinate (EL) from glucose catalysed by a liquid acid catalyst (sulfuric acid) and a solid acid zeolite catalyst USY NKF-7 (USY) in ethanol media was investigated in this study. Effects of the initial glucose concentration (C_G0), reaction temperature (T), amount of acid catalyst, and water addition on the yields of EL were compared, respectively. The results show that higher yield of EL can be obtained at lower C_G0. Higher temperature and acid concentration can accelerate the reaction rate, but the formation rate of the by-products increases more quickly than that of EL. Water addition also can result in the decrease of the yield of EL. Although sulfuric acid is efficient in the production of EL, the USY is more efficient in converting glucose to 5-ethoxymethyl-2-furaldehyde. Moreover, the use of USY can limit the diethyl ether production, and it can be reused for multiple times.

Keywords: glucose – ethanol – ethyl levulinate – catalyst

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-013-0410-0

Chemical Papers 67 (11) 1355–1363 (2013)