Economic and Environmental Evaluation of Sequential vs Single-Reactor Tandem Catalytic Routes for Furan-Derived Amine Production

Abstract

The development of intensified catalytic processes for biomass valorization is a key strategy to improve the sustainability of chemical manufacturing. In this work, we compare a conventional two-reactor and a single-reactor tandem process for the production of the furfural-derived amine 1-(furan-2-yl)-4-methylpentan-2-amine (F-ALD-1-NH₂), combining technoeconomic analysis (TEA) and cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA). Both routes involve aldol condensation of furfural with methyl isobutyl ketone followed by reductive amination but differ in process configuration, yields, and catalyst requirements. Under base-case conditions, the two-reactor process outperforms the single-reactor configuration, exhibiting 16–20% lower full manufacturing cost (€5250/ton vs €6313/ton) and systematically reduced environmental impacts across all midpoint categories (e.g., 21% lower global warming potential). These differences are primarily driven by the higher overall yield (91% vs 74%) and lower catalyst loading of the two-reactor process. However, sensitivity analysis reveals that process intensification becomes advantageous under optimized conditions. By improving yield, reducing catalyst loading, and optimizing solvent ratios, the single-reactor process could achieve up to 10% lower manufacturing cost and 5–20% lower environmental impacts relative to the two-reactor configuration. Across both routes, key drivers of cost and environmental performance include furfural and solvent consumption, catalyst loading and regeneration, and energy demand for separations. Uncertainty analysis confirms the statistical robustness of these trends for selected impact categories. This study demonstrates that while process intensification does not inherently guarantee improved sustainability, it can deliver significant economic and environmental benefits when reaction performance and process parameters are carefully optimized. These findings highlight the importance of integrating early-stage TEA and LCA to guide the design and development of intensified catalytic processes for renewable chemical production.