Electrochemical Coupling of Biomass-derived Acids: New C8 Platforms for Renewable Polymers and Fuels

Linglin Wu, Mark Mascal, Thomas James Farmer, Sacha Perocheau Arnaud, Maria Angelica Wong Chang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Electrolysis of biomass-derived carbonyl compounds is an alternative to condensation chemistry for supplying products with chain length >C 6for biofuels and renewable materials production. Kolbe coupling of biomass-derived levulinic acid is used to obtain 2,7-octanedione, a new platform molecule only two low process-intensity steps removed from raw biomass. Hydrogenation to 2,7-octanediol provides a chiral secondary diol largely unknown to polymer chemistry, whereas intramolecular aldol condensation followed by hydrogenation yields branched cycloalkanes suitable for use as high-octane, cellulosic gasoline. Analogous electrolysis of an itaconic acid-derived methylsuccinic monoester yields a chiral 2,5-dimethyladipic acid diester, another underutilized monomer owing to lack of availability.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)166–170
Number of pages5
JournalChemSusChem
Volume10
Issue number1
Early online date22 Dec 2016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10 Jan 2017

Bibliographical note

© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.

Keywords

  • bio-based polymer
  • bio-based monomers
  • Platform molecules
  • electrochemistry
  • bio fuel
  • itaconic acid
  • electrolysis
  • kolbe coupling
  • biomass conversion
  • levulinic acid
  • Aldehydes/chemistry
  • Cycloparaffins/chemistry
  • Biomass
  • Biofuels
  • Polyesters/chemistry
  • Polymers/chemistry
  • Levulinic Acids/chemistry
  • Electrochemistry
  • Ketones/chemistry
  • Catalysis

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