Efficient Transformation of Furfuryl Alcohol Into Ethyl Levulinates via Alcoholysis Reaction Catalyzed by SnO2/H-Mordenite Catalyst

Abstract

Catalytic production of ethyl levulinate by alcoholysis of furfuryl alcohol with ethanol was investigated over H-mordenite supported Sn catalyst under atmospheric N₂ pressure. The catalysts with different Sn loadings (5, 10, 15 and 20 wt%) over H-mordenite were synthesized by adopting a simple and facile wet impregnation method. Detailed physical–chemical properties of synthesized catalysts were analyzed through X-ray diffraction, N₂-physisorption, temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia (TPD-NH₃), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM–EDS) and pyridine-adsorbed FT-IR techniques, respectively. The XRD results and elemental mapping of Sn studies depicted the formation of well dispersed Sn particles over H-mordenite structure. The Sn impregnated H-mordenite exhibited high total acidity and thus, providing a large number of total acid sites which are accessible to the reactant molecules. Sn loadings had a significant effect on the reaction performance. The characterization results evidenced the total acidity of the H- mordenite support and the Sn dispersion is well correlated with the activity in furfural alcohol conversion and selectivity. Thus, an optimized catalytic system, i.e., with 10 wt% Sn/H-mordenite has shown superior activity in the alcoholysis of furfuryl alcohol with ethanol as a co-reactant.