Zeolite-catalyzed biomass conversion to fuels and chemicals

Both furfural and HMF, however, can be converted

to a number of interesting chemicals by known processes, and
thus have potential for use as platform chemicals
Transportation fuels can be produced by
hydrogenolysis of CO bonds over a copperruthenium catalyst
to produce 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF). This compound is insoluble
in water, and has a 40% higher energy density than
ethanol, making it an interesting alternative for gasoline
blending. (Y. Roman-Leshkov, C. J. Barret, Z. Y. Liu and J. A. Dumesic,
Nature, 2007, 447, 982986.)

Alternately liquid alkanes can be produced by

condensation reactions between acetone and either HMF or
furfural, followed by hydrogenation, over a bi-functional catalyst,
such as Pd/MgOZrO2.( C. J. Barret, J. N. Chheda, G. W. Huber and J. A. Dumesic, Appl.
Catal., B, 2006, 66, 111118; G. W. Huber, J. N. Chheda, C. J. Barret and J. A. Dumesic, Science,
2005, 308, 14461450. )