(693a) Alcohols/Mixed Oxygenates Conversion to Higher Ketones over Multifunctional Mixed Oxide Catalysts

There is a need to replace fossil derived chemicals and fuel by using renewable materials and processes. Ethanol and Acetone, Butanol, Ethanol (ABE) mixture can be efficiently produced from biomass fermentation. Ethanol/ABE could be converted to higher ketones in thermochemical pathway using heterogeneous catalysts in a single step process. Transition metals impregnated on carbon supports had shown to promote one-step synthesis of ketones. Catalysts with more stable supports could be synthesized to promote higher conversion and selectivity towards ketones. In our experiment mixed oxides of manganese, zinc, zirconia was used as support for ketones synthesis. The catalyst was tuned with addition of transition metals to promote specific pathway with higher conversion of Ethanol/ABE with 70%-80% selectivity towards C₅₊ ketones. Acidic and basic properties of the catalyst promotes dehydrogenation, aldol condensation, dehydration and hydrogenation reactions. The condensation of acetone with acetaldehyde to form pentanone rather than the self-condensation improves the final product yield and reduces the overall carbon loss. This presentation will discuss the robustness of tuned catalysts under various conditions, product yields and the reaction mechanisms.