The Role of Noble Metal Catalysts in Conversion of Biomass and Bio-derived Intermediates to Fuels and Chemicals

In the face of growing oil demand the use of renewable feedstocks for the potential to supply transportation fuels, electricity, chemicals and materials is increasingly attractive. This review covers novel technologies and pathways to produce liquid fuels and chemical intermediates in an efficient and cost-effective way. Several commercial and pilot scale projects by companies including Anellotech, USA; Johnson Matthey, UK; GFBiochemicals, Italy; Quaker Oats, USA; Changchun Dacheng Group, China; Avantium, The Netherlands; BASF, Germany and Rennovia, USA are highlighted. The review focuses on the use of non-food competing biomass, namely cellulose and hemicellulose biomass, and the use of precious metals to effect the key reaction steps: hydrolysis, dehydration, hydrodeoxygenation, hydrogenation and oxidation. The value added products achieved include fine chemicals and functional materials. Among these are dimethylfuran, methylfuran, 5-(ethoxymethyl)furfural, γ-valerolactone, ethyl levulinate and valeric biofuels suitable as fuels and fuel additives as well as renewable alkanes in the C5–C15 range for gasoline and diesel fuel applications.