Abstract: Solid acid catalysts SO₄^2-/SnO₂ were prepared by precipitation and impregnation method for conversion of glucose to butyl levulinate in butanol. The effects of different reaction conditions and catalyst reuse on yields of butyl levulinate were also investigated. The surface structure and acidity of the fresh and reused catalysts were characterized by XRD and NH₃-TPD. The results indicated that butyl levulinate yield of 33.1% could be obtained under the conditions of the catalyst calcined at 500 ℃ for 3 h, catalyst dosage 2.5 %, reaction temperature 200 ℃ and reaction time 2 h. And the catalytic performance for the reused catalysts after calcinations decreased from 33.1% to 12.8% after the fifth reuse. XRD and NH₃-TPD results showed that crystallization structure of catalyst was preserved well after reuse, but the acid strength and total amounts of acid were decreased slightly with the increase of the number of reuse.

Key words: solid acid SO₄^2-/SnO₂, glucose, butyl levulinate, catalysis