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Single reactor conversion of corn stover biomass to C5–C20 furanic biocrude oil using sulfonic acid functionalized Brönsted acidic ionic liquid catalysts

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Abstract

Cellulose (DP∼450) and dry corn stover powder were converted to furanic biocrude oils in a single reactor operation by heating with excess acetone in the presence of Brönsted acidic ionic liquid catalysts. Two Brönsted acidic ionic liquid catalysts, 1-(1-propylsulfonic)-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BAIL-1) and 1-(4-sulfonic-benzyl)-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BAIL-2), were compared for biocrude oil synthesis from cellulose and dry corn stover. Catalyst BAIL-1 showed slightly better activity in all experiments, where cellulose samples produced 52.9 mg biocrude oil/100 mg of cellulose, and corn stover produced 34.2 mg biocrude oil/100 mg of corn stover by heating at 120 °C for 3 h. Biocrude oil formed in the novel process is mainly a complex mixture of aldol condensation products of acetone with biomass-derived furans, furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.

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Acknowledgments

We thank American Chemical Society-PRF grant UR1-49436, NSF grants CBET-0929970, HRD-1036593, and USDA grant CBG-2010-38821-21569 for financial support.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX, 77446, USA

    Ananda S. Amarasekara & Bernard Wiredu

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  1. Ananda S. Amarasekara
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Correspondence to Ananda S. Amarasekara.

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Amarasekara, A.S., Wiredu, B. Single reactor conversion of corn stover biomass to C5–C20 furanic biocrude oil using sulfonic acid functionalized Brönsted acidic ionic liquid catalysts. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 4, 149–155 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-013-0098-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-013-0098-y

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