(428e) Investigating the Kinetics of the Condensed Phase Hydrogenolysis of 5-Methyl-2-Furanmethanol to 2,5-Dimethylfuran Using Copper Catalysts

Biorenewable feedstocks inherently contain a significant amount of functionality due to their high oxygen content. Selective C-O hydrogenolysis is one approach to oxygen removal that could play an important role in future biorenewable chemical and fuel production. A model system will be discussed that involves the conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-dimethylfuran, which has the potential for hydrogenation, C-C hydrogenolysis, and C-O hydrogenolysis at several locations within the molecule. Copper based catalysts have shown an ability to preferentially perform C-O over C-C cleavage while preserving the aromatic functionality. The kinetics of the condensed phase hydrogenolysis of 5-methyl-2-furanmethanol to 2,5-dimethylfuran over copper chromite catalyst were studied. Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetics were applied using a mechanism involving either one or two active sites for the adsorption of the reactants. 5-Methyl-2-furanmethanol is assumed to adsorb via the hydroxyl group and hydrogen dissociatively. The accuracy of these two models was used to infer which adsorption mechanism is more likely to occur. The kinetics of the reaction over copper chromite catalyst can be used as a basis for comparison to other copper catalyst to observe the effect oxidation state of the copper and chromium has on the activation energy and kinetics.