| Abstract |
Zirconium-tungsten mixed oxides (ZrW) are effective catalysts in the aqueous-phase dehydration of D-xylose to 2-furfuraldehyde (Fur), at 170 degrees C. The texture and acid properties of ZrW materials were modified to enhance Fur yields. The catalysts prepared by co-condensation without a templating agent (ZrW(X), X = NO3, Cl; X is related to the type of zirconium precursor) possess relatively low specific surface area and amounts of accessible acid sites, leading to a modest Fur yield of ca. 35\% at 99\% conversion. The use of a templating agent in the preparation of mesoporous ZrW (ZrW-MP) increased considerably the specific surface area and the amount of accessible acid sites, which resulted in enhanced Fur yields (42\%) reached at comparable conversions. Further improvements in Fur yields at high conversions were accomplished by introducing aluminium in the catalyst preparation procedure to give ZrAlW-MP (51\% yield at 98\% conversion). Fairly good catalytic results were also obtained in the case of the ZrAlW-MP catalyst, using solely water as solvent (46\% yield at 93\% conversion). A study of the identification of the reaction by-products by two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) combined with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ToFMS) was carried out. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved. |
