(80c) Continuous Supercritical-Phase Hydrogenations of Biomass-Derived Compounds

Development of continuous processes that take advantage of the current petrochemical infrastructure is essential for widespread biomass utilization. Hydrogenations of biomass-related substrates can convert highly-oxygenated biomass components to feedstocks which more closely resemble petrochemicals. The high hydrogen pressures needed for such reactions adversely affect the process economics, but the use of supercritical solvents can overcome this barrier by enhancing the mutual solubilities of reactants as well as the transport of materials and energy in the reaction system. We have used a fixed bed reactor to evaluate supported metal catalysts and supercritical solvent media for intensified hydrogenations of biomass constituents at mild process conditions. We have examined several model biomass compounds to understand better the reaction mechanisms involved in biomass hydrogenations.