Direct cascade hydrogenation of biorenewable levulinic acid to valeric acid biofuel additives over metal (M = Nb, Ti, and Zr) supported SBA-15 catalysts

Chemoselective hydrogenation of biomass platform molecules into value-added chemicals and fuels is essential for the exploitation of biomass, and SBA-15 based metal catalysts with hydrogenation centers and acid sites seem promising in this regard. Valeric acid (VA) is the most important platform molecule for valeric biofuels and value-added chemicals production. The main issue with using such bifunctional catalysts for biomass conversion is maintaining the catalyst's stability in the liquid phase under harsh conditions. In-addition, direct one-pot selective hydrogenation of levulinic acid (LA) into VA synthesis is challenging due to its complex reaction conditions involved. Herein, we design a bifunctional mesoporous catalysts (SBA-15 mesoporous material doped with various metals Nb, Ti, and Zr) investigated for this reaction under the vapour phase. Different instrumental approaches were used to examine the structure, phase composition, morphology, and surface elemental analyses of catalysts as-prepared. Among those catalysts, Zr-doped mesoporous SBA-15 catalyst showed the 91% conversion of LA and the 68% selectivity toward VA and promising stability in a 52 h time on-stream run. Metal dispersion inside the SBA-15 and their surface acidity (sufficient number of acid sites and surface-active metal oxide species) and higher surface area are beneficial for the selectivity of VA. This work offers a highly-efficient bifunctional catalyst for selective hydrogenation of biomass feedstocks.