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Chemistry and Industry of Forest Products ›› 2021, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (2): 39-46.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-2417.2021.02.006

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Synthesis of Methyl Levulinate by Glucose Alcoholysis Catalyzed by Mixed Acid in Alcohol/Water System

Yuan WU1, Zihua WANG1, Chun CHANG1,2,*(), Pan LI1,2, Guizhuan XU3   

  1. 1. School of Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
    2. Henan Outstanding Foreign Scientists'Workroom, Zhengzhou 450001, China
    3. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
  • Received:2020-08-08 Online:2021-04-28 Published:2021-05-08
  • Contact: Chun CHANG E-mail:chunchang@zzu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Methyl levulinate(ML) was prepared by the alcoholysis of glucose in a methanol/water system over mixed acid catalysts comprising extremely low acid and metal sulfates. Al2(SO4)3with ultralow sulfuric acid showed the highest catalytic performance among the studied metal sulfates(Al2(SO4)3, CuSO4, Fe2(SO4)3, Ti(SO4)2, SnSO4, ZnSO4, NiSO4, and Cr2(SO4)3). Moreover, the effects of initial mass concentration of glucose(10-40 g/L), Al2(SO4)3mass in mixed acid catalyst(0.12-0.48 g), reaction temperature(160-200 ℃), and reaction time(2-6 h) on product formation were investigated. The highest yield (46.68%) of ML was obtained in methyl/water(50/50) solvent system with a raw material mass concentration of 20 g/L, 0.02 mL H2SO4(0.01 mol/L), and 0.24 g Al2(SO4)3at 170 ℃ after 4 h; under these conditions, the yield of levulinic acid(LA) was 24.20%. During the alcoholysis process, glucose was first converted to methyl glucoside(MLG), then methoxymethylfurfural(MMF), and ultimately to ML. Al2(SO4)3could be reused at least five times with a slight decrease in catalytic activity(45.92% yield of ML and 20.58% yield of LA).

Key words: glucose, aluminum sulfate, methyl levulinate, alcoholysis

CLC Number: