Fossil fuels are rapidly declining due to the increasing demand for chemicals and energy. An alternative approach to petroleum, a non-renewable resource, is the use of biomass in chemical synthesis and fuel production. This largely untapped resource has the potential to satisfy our energy and chemical needs while being renewable and sustainable. The aim of our research is to develop synthetic routes from biomass-derived D-xylose to value-added chemicals. Our initial synthetic targets are 4-tetrahydropyranone (4-THP) and 3-tetrahydropyranone (3-THP). Our goal is to use these tetrahydropyranones as key intermediates in a starch- and lignocellulose-based biorefinery to produce chemicals such as 2-cyclopenten-1-one, cyclopentadiene (CP), lactones/lactams for new polymeric materials, and bicyclopentane (BCP), a high energy density component of jet fuels. This talk describes our progress on the conversion of D-xylose to a portfolio of C5 cyclic compounds. The utilization of high hemicellulose containing biomass to produce biobased fuels and chemicals will promote the greater use of renewable biomass resources to meet society’s material and energy needs. This will also promote new market opportunities for local agriculture and agricultural products.

Synthesis of biorenewable C5 compounds utilizing D-xylose obtained from agricultural biomass

251st National Meeting (2016)

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