(587x) Isomerization of Glucose With Solid-Base Catalysts for Utilization of Biomass

The conversion of glucose, which is the most abundant hexose in biomass, to chemicals and liquid fuels is the core interest of biorefining. The isomerization of glucose into fructose is one of the key pathways in the production of value-added building blocks such as hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and levulinic acid from biomass. Different types of catalysts including enzymes, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts, metal salts, and commercial solid-base catalysts have been tested for the isomerization of glucose; however, these catalysts still have many drawbacks such as unsatisfactory selectivity and yield, difficulty in separating and recycling the catalysts from products, and the limitation of reaction control. In this study, several solid-base catalysts were synthesized with different backbones and functional groups for overcoming the aforementioned downsides and enhancing the fructose conversion yield. The properties of the catalysts, the effects of solvents on the isomerization reaction, and optimization of the reaction conditions were also investigated.