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© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
K. K. Pant et al. (eds.), Catalysis for Clean Energy and Environmental
Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65017-9_14
Carbohydrates to Chemicals and Fuel
Additives over ModifiedPolyoxometalate
Catalysts
B. Srinivasa Rao, P. Krishna Kumari, and N. Lingaiah
Abstract The quest to produce chemicals and transportation fuels from sources
other than conventional non-renewable fossil resources has shifted the focus and
direction of research activities towards the utilization of cleaner renewable feedstock. Renewable resources like biomass are ever-abundant and also have an added
advantage of being carbon rich that can be leveraged for the production of various
chemicals. Biomass is the source of carbohydrates which are the major precursor to
produce fine chemicals and fuel additives. The catalytic conversion of biomassderived carbohydrates to chemicals and fuel additives has been an extensive topic of
research lately. Among various fine chemicals derived from biomass,
5- hydroxymethylfurfurl, 5-ethoxymethylfurfurl, alkyl levulinates and gamma
valerolactone are some value-added chemicals with immense potential. The preparation of these chemicals derived from biomass requires catalysts with specific
active sites with desirable acid/base properties. A majority of these chemicals can be
formed by acid catalysis of carbohydrates. This chapter mainly focuses on the conversion of carbohydrates to value-added chemicals over modified heteropoly acid
catalysts with sufficient Bronsted/Lewis acidity. Supported and metal-exchanged
heteropoly molybdate and tungstate catalysts are synthesized and utilized for the
conversion of biomass-derived carbohydrates to chemicals. The activity of these
catalysts is discussed on the basis of their acidic sites, surface properties and structural features. Operating conditions such as reaction temperature, reaction time,
feed concentration, catalysts concentration, solvent volume and the type of reactor
used are also briefly discussed in this chapter.
Keywords Biomass conversion · Heteropoly acid · 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural ·
Alkyl levulinates · 5-Ethoxymethylfurfural
B. S. Rao · P. K. Kumari · N. Lingaiah (*)
Department of Catalysis and Fine Chemicals, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology,
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
e-mail: nakkalingaiah@iict.res.in
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
K. K. Pant et al. (eds.), Catalysis for Clean Energy and Environmental
Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65017-9_14
Carbohydrates to Chemicals and Fuel
Additives over ModifiedPolyoxometalate
Catalysts
B. Srinivasa Rao, P. Krishna Kumari, and N. Lingaiah
Abstract The quest to produce chemicals and transportation fuels from sources
other than conventional non-renewable fossil resources has shifted the focus and
direction of research activities towards the utilization of cleaner renewable feedstock. Renewable resources like biomass are ever-abundant and also have an added
advantage of being carbon rich that can be leveraged for the production of various
chemicals. Biomass is the source of carbohydrates which are the major precursor to
produce fine chemicals and fuel additives. The catalytic conversion of biomassderived carbohydrates to chemicals and fuel additives has been an extensive topic of
research lately. Among various fine chemicals derived from biomass,
5- hydroxymethylfurfurl, 5-ethoxymethylfurfurl, alkyl levulinates and gamma
valerolactone are some value-added chemicals with immense potential. The preparation of these chemicals derived from biomass requires catalysts with specific
active sites with desirable acid/base properties. A majority of these chemicals can be
formed by acid catalysis of carbohydrates. This chapter mainly focuses on the conversion of carbohydrates to value-added chemicals over modified heteropoly acid
catalysts with sufficient Bronsted/Lewis acidity. Supported and metal-exchanged
heteropoly molybdate and tungstate catalysts are synthesized and utilized for the
conversion of biomass-derived carbohydrates to chemicals. The activity of these
catalysts is discussed on the basis of their acidic sites, surface properties and structural features. Operating conditions such as reaction temperature, reaction time,
feed concentration, catalysts concentration, solvent volume and the type of reactor
used are also briefly discussed in this chapter.
Keywords Biomass conversion · Heteropoly acid · 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural ·
Alkyl levulinates · 5-Ethoxymethylfurfural
B. S. Rao · P. K. Kumari · N. Lingaiah (*)
Department of Catalysis and Fine Chemicals, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology,
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
e-mail: nakkalingaiah@iict.res.in