Synthesis of jet fuel range paraffins from cellulose

Abstract

In this work, a new route was developed for the synthesis of jet fuel range C₁₆ and C₁₁ paraffins with cellulose, the most abundant biomass. In the first step, cellulose was selectively converted to 5-methylfurfural (MFA) by a cascade hydrolysis/isomerization/dehydration/chlorination reaction in a toluene/NaCl aqueous solution biphasic system, followed by the hydrodechlorination over Pd/C catalyst at room temperature. After being decarbonylated, the MFA was converted to 2-methylfuran (2-MF). Among the investigated catalysts, Pd/C exhibited the highest activity for this reaction, which can be rationalized by the higher activity of Pd for the decarbonylation. Subsequently, tris(5-methylfuran-2-yl)methane (TMFM) was obtained by the solvent-free hydroxyalkylation/alkylation (HAA) reaction of MFA and 2-MF over a series of acidic resins. Among them, Nafion resin exhibited the highest activity, which can be rationalized by the high acid strength of this catalyst. Finally, the TMFM as obtained was hydrodeoxygenated to jet fuel range C₁₆ and C₁₁ paraffins under the co-catalysis of Ni/hydroxyapatite (Ni/HAP) and H-ZSM-5.