W. N. Lacey Lectureship in Chemical Engineering

The conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to fuels and chemicals requires the effective utilization of the C5 and C6 sugars present in hemi-cellulose and cellulose, respectively. We will address how the hemi-cellulose fraction of lignocellulosic biomass can be converted to furfural and levulinic acid using biphasic reactors with alkylphenol solvents, and we will address the conversion of levulinic acid to gamma-valerolactone (GVL) in these solvents. In addition, we will show how various biomass-derived solvents can be used to extract levulinic acid produced by deconstruction of the cellulose in aqueous solutions of mineral acids. Finally, we will address the decarboxylation of GVL to produce butene over solid acid catalysts, combined with the oligomerization of butene to produce liquid transportation fuels.