Page 180 - CW E-Magazine (22-4-2025)

Special Report

have excellent UV shielding properties reactions. In the hydrogenation of HMF 2,5 Tetrahydrofurandicarboxylic
and seem to be superior to monofuran and MF, up to 20% yield of 1-hydroxy- acid (THFDCA) to adipic acid
based polyesters such as polyethylene 4-hexen-2-one is reported. (Applied (AA)
furanoate (PEF), etc. Further, FBPC Catalysis A: General, 2025,689, 5 Jan,
was copolymerized with poly(butylene 120025; DOI: 10.1016/j.apcat.2024. J. Zheng et al have come out with this
terephthalate) (PBT). (ACS Sustainable 120025). interesting and potentially useful way
Chem. Eng., 2024; DOI: 10.1021/acs- of making AA from THFDCA using a
suschem.eng.4C07375). Production of gamma- heterogeneous catalyst, IL/MIL-101-NH ,
2
valerolactone (GVL) from which had a synergistic effect of Lewis
1,8-Cineole (C) from furfural (F) by core-shell acid and Lewis base. It is fascinating to
eucalyptus (E) cinerea ZSM-5 supporting Ru-Zr see 100% conversion and 99.9% yield.
bimetals through enhanced Hydroxymethyl furfural gives the cor-
D. Bhaskaran et al have lauded the responding dicarboxylic acid, which is
value of E oil for anti-infl ammatory, cascade reaction in the news as starting point of polyester
antiviral, and antibacterial qualities. and this is hydrogenated. The catalyst was
These authors have considered diverse Y. Yuan et al have prepared Zr-Ru characterised in an elaborate way. (Cata-
extraction methodologies and carried out bimetals supported on core-shell ZSM-5 lysis Today, 2025, 445, 15Feb, 115114).
process optimisation, kinetics, etc. Thus, with hierarchical pores. Full details of
hydro-distillation (HD), Soxhlet ex- the preparation of the catalyst is repor- Continuous fl ow
traction (SE), ultrasonication extraction ted. 92.6 wt% of GVL is reported with valorisation of furanics:
(UE), and microwave extraction (ME) Ru-Zr Q ZSM-OH catalyst. (Applied From decarbonylation of
techniques are compared. HD yielded a Catalysis A: General, 2024, 19 Nov., 5-hydroxymethylfurfural
maximum of 72.85% C. The solvent-free 120031; DOI: 10.1016/j.apcat.2024. (HMF) to furfuryl alcohol
ME method is the most environmentally 120031). (FA) conversion into valuable
acceptable method. (RSC Advances,
2024, 14, issue 48, 8 Nov., 35529-35552; Bioreactor engineering for oxidative coupling products
DOI: 10.1039/D4RA06050D). circular economy: Bioactive K.A. Sanoja-Lopez et al have repor-
compound production in solid- ted tandem multi-step valorisation of
Hydrogenation of furfural (F), state fermentation (SSF) HMF to value-added products using
5-hydroxymethyl F (HMF) 10% Pd/C as catalyst under continuous
and 5-methyl F (MF) G.A. Gomez-Ramos et al have worked fl ow condition. FA can be obtained in
on agriculture residues and have re- 99%+ yield. (Catalysis Today, 2025,
A. Dubiniak et al have reported highly viewed the subject of SSF with a focus 446, 15 Feb., 115109; DOI: 10.1016/j.
active noble metal catalysts based on on bioreactor engineering. Packed bed cattod.2024.115109).
porous aromatic frameworks for hydro- bioreactors are considered and mathe-
genation of F. Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol matic modelling and scale-up are dis- Optimizing furfural
(THFA) had 83% yield with Pt-PAF-30 cussed. Thus, more effi cient, scalable (F) production from
catalyst. Pd-PAF-30-NH catalyst gives and sustainable process for SSF can be
2
77% selectivity for tetrahydrofurfural. developed. (Chem. Eng. Technol. 2024; lignocellulosic biomass
Isopropanol as solvent reduced side DOI: 10.1002/ceat.202400289). [F is a platform molecule and a large
number of papers have appeared in the
literature and this column has covered
many important ones. There is also a
strong historical background.]
L. Pierrat and P. Garia-Trinanes have
covered feedstock selection, process
enhancement, and techno-economic and
environmental viability: These authors
opine that hemicellulose-rich feedstocks
should be prioritised to realize optimal F
yield and pretreatment should be carried

180 Chemical Weekly April 22, 2025

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