Role of solvent in enhancing the production of butyl levulinate from fructose

The use of alkyl levulinates is growing interest in fuels. Adding n-butyl levulinate (BL) to fuels presents some benefits compared ethyl levulinate. conventional production route BL from the esterification levulinic acid, but latter compound corrosion issues. Alcoholysis fructose by butanol over cation exchange resins (solid catalyst) seems be a better alternative. effect water addition, solvent, swelling (from resin), and solubility at temperatures higher than 25 °C are unclear on this reaction. To understand these effects, alcoholysis 110 different solvents, e.g., gamma-valerolactone (GVL), were studied pressurized autoclave an inert environment. dissolution study was conducted temperature range 20–120 solvents. concentration profiles fructose, 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF), 5-(butoxymethyl)furfural (BMF) analyzed solvents: butanol/water, butanol, butanol/GVL/water butanol/GVL. We found that using butanol/GVL (70/30 wt%) solvent conversion viewpoints.