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In this study, magnetic solid acid Fe3O4/C–SO3H600 was synthesized and applied in catalytic fast pyrolysis of cellulose for the selective production of levoglucosenone (LGO). The catalytic pyrolysis of cellulose could not only reduce the reaction-required temperature and promote the LGO production, but also could be reused for recycling in an economical and practical approach. Under the experimental conditions that the ratio of catalyst to cellulose was 1:1 and the pyrolysis temperature was 300 °C, the yield of LGO reached 20 wt%. This research also explored the mechanism of cellulosic pyrolysis to produce LGO, indicating that LGO could be produced via further dehydration of levoglucosan.

Fermentable sugars are a group of pivotal intermediates and platform compounds achieved by the conversion of lignocellulose. Fast pyrolysis, as a little-explored way to liberate levoglucosan from biomass, may have a potential capability to overcome the technical barriers and fundamental limitations for efficient saccharification. Pretreatment prior to fast pyrolysis is essential to improve levoglucosan yield from lignocellulose. Contrary to typical high-temperature acid pretreatments, a pretreatment under mild conditions was evaluated and optimized, where different acid (formic acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid and hydrochloric acid) were employed at room temperature prior to fast pyrolysis of lignocellulose. Due to the alteration of chemical compositions and physical structures of biomass, especially the elimination of alkali and alkaline earth metals, the levoglucosan yield of dilute acid pretreated biomass was improved remarkably as compared with that of raw material, meanwhile claimed that acid pretreatments at room temperature had an enough capability in efficient utilization of biomass. In sum, this study offered a novel and economical strategy for selective saccharification of lignocellulose for industrialized bio-refinery.