Direct Catalytic Transformation of Biomass Derivatives into Biofuel Component γ-Valerolactone with Magnetic Nickel–Zirconium Nanoparticles

Graphical Attractive separation : Acid–base bifunctional NiZr nanocatalysts with strong magnetism show high activity and reusability in the transformation of biomass derivatives, including EL, fructose, glucose, cellobiose, and carboxymethyl cellulose, into γ -valerolactone (GVL) with 95.2 % yield and 98 % selectivity (see figure). A series of mixed oxide nanoparticles were prepared by a coprecipitation method and characterized by many techniques. Nickel–zirconium oxide catalysts and their partially reduced magnetic counterparts were highly efficient in the direct transformation of biomass derivatives, including ethyl levulinate, fructose, glucose, cellobiose, and carboxymethyl cellulose, into γ-valerolactone (GVL) without the use of an external hydrogen source, producing a maximum GVL yield of 95.2 % at 200 °C for 3 h with hydrogen-reduced magnetic Zr 5 Ni 5 nanoparticles (<20 nm). The acid–base bifunctionality of these nanocatalysts plays a synergic role in the synthesis of GVL in alcohols, whereas appropriate control of the nickel/zirconium molar ratio is able to improve the selectivity towards GVL (≈98 %), along with high formation rates (up to 54.9 mmol g −1 h −1 ). Moreover, the magnetic Zr 5 Ni 5 nanoparticles were conveniently recovered by means of a magnet for five cycles with almost constant activity.