Towards the Efficient Catalytic Valorization of Chitin to N-Acylethanolamine over Ni/CeO2 Catalyst: Exploring the Shape-Selective Reactivity

Global warming and rising waste content collectively accelerate the development of renewable-derived ‘low-carbon’ chemical technologies. Among all abundant renewables, marine-/food-waste-derived chitin, only nitrogen-containing sustainable biomass, contains unique N-acetylglucosamine units, which could be synthetically manipulated to a plethora organonitrogen chemicals. Herein, we report efficient one-step catalytic valorization chitin N-acylethanolamine over cost-effective Ni/CeO2-based materials, interestingly demonstrate shape-based reactivity based on CeO2 supports. In general, three catalysts (Ni cubic-, rod-, polyhedral-shaped supports) were active for this reaction, but they differed in their efficiency time-monitored reaction profiles. Ni cubic-shaped delivered relatively better stable performance, along with its rod-shaped counterpart, while polyhedral CeO2-based material also decent performance. Such interesting behavior has been corroborated by physicochemical properties, as revealed characterization studies. establish an appropriate structure-property-reactivity relationship, multimodal techniques control mechanistic experiments have performed. This work demonstrates concept reduce consumption primary carbon resources increase utilization secondary materials facilitate smooth transition from linear economy (cf. cradle-to-grave model) circular cradle-to-cradle model).