Title
Identification of more benign cathode materials for the electrochemical reduction of Levulinic Acid to Valeric Acid
Author
Bisselink, R.J.M.
Crockatt, M.
Zijlstra, M.
Bakker, I.J.
Goetheer, E.L.V.
Slaghek, T.M.
van Es, D.S.
Publication year
2019
Abstract
The electrochemical production of valeric acid from the renewable bio-based feedstock levulinic acid has the potential to replace the oxo-process, which uses fossil-based feedstock 1-butylene. The electrochemical reduction of the ketone functionality in levulinic acid using lead or mercury cathodes has already been known for over 100 years. However, large-scale electrochemical production of valeric acid might be limited, owing to the toxicity of these materials. In this study, we identified three additional cathode materials, cadmium, indium, and zinc, which selectively and efficiently produce valeric acid. Of these materials, indium and zinc are considered more benign. More specifically, at indium there is no formation of the side product ?-valerolactone, thus resulting in the highest selectivity towards valeric acid. For the electrochemical reduction, a reaction mechanism involving the formation of an organometallic compound is proposed. Furthermore, a possible processing strategy is outlined to enable the continuous electrochemical production of valeric acid on a large scale.
Subject
Sustainable Chemical Industry
Industrial Innovation
Clemmensen reduction
Cathodes
Electrocatalysis
Electrolytic reduction
Feedstocks
Indium
Ketones
Zinc
Bio-based feedstock
Deoxygenation
Organometallic compounds
Processing strategies
Reaction mechanism
Renewable resources
Sustainable chemistry
Saturated fatty acids
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:20217b10-2d5d-4542-8aae-af1ed0554925
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/celc.201900734
TNO identifier
868181
Publisher
Wiley, Weinheim, Germany
ISSN
2196-0216
Source
ChemElectroChem, 6 (13), 3285-3290
Document type
article