Biomass lignin hydrogenolysis catalyzed by transition metals for phenols obtainment using formic acid as hydrogen source

• Grant number: 14/24552-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: March 10, 2015
• End date: March 09, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Carlos Bender Burtoloso
• Grantee: Gustavo Metzker
• Supervisor: Peter C. Ford
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/17271-7 - The use of new metal Catalysts in Biorefineries: Synthesis of gama-Valerolactones, N-Alkyl-Pyrrolidones and Phenols., BP.PD

Abstract

The present research Project aims the utilization of porous metal oxides (PMO) as heterogeneous catalysts for lignin hydrogenolysis reaction (generating phenols as main products) and model molecules for lignin chemical bonds (mostly aryl-aryl and aryl-O-aryl) using subcritical water/formic acid as solvent and hydrogen source respectively. The PMOs proposed will be doped with the transition metals Fe, Cu, Ni and Nb. The choice of these metals is mostly by its low cost if compared with the ones currently used in the lignin depolymerization (Pt and Pd) and for its already demonstrated catalytic activity for formic acid decomposition or for its activity in lignin depolymerization using other hydrogen sources. The choice of formic acid as hydrogen source is due to it is an abundant by-product of the lignocellulosic biomass acid hydrolysis. As results and perspectives of this project is expected the advance of biomass chemistry, mostly in the lignin depolymerization reaction for obtainment of new renewable carbon sources, and in case of success the transfer of this technology for the industry. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CHUI, MEGAN; METZKER, GUSTAVO; BERNT, CHRISTOPHER M.; TRAN, ANTHONY T.; BURTOLOSO, ANTONIO C. B.; FORD, PETER C.. Probing the Lignin Disassembly Pathways with Modified Catalysts Based on Cu-Doped Porous Metal Oxides. ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, v. 5, n. 4, p. 3158-3169, APR 2017. (14/24552-5, 13/17271-7)