Carbon-Based Solid Acids for the Preparation of Renewable Jet Fuel and Diesel Range Alkanes

Carbon-based solid acid catalysts were prepared from polycarbonate waste by methanolysis, polymerization with polyformaldehyde, calcination, and sulfonation. These catalysts were very active in the hydroxyalkylation/alkylation (HAA) reactions between 2-methylfuran (2-MF) and furfural. Under mild reaction conditions, the PC-180 catalyst produced a good yield (79.1%) of the HAA product from furfural and 2-MF, equivalent to that of Nafion resin (81.1%). The remarkable efficiency of PC-180 can be comprehended by its high acid content and enhanced hydrophilicity, as determined through scanning electron microscopy, contact angle measurement, and infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, this catalyst proved to be universal in the HAA reactions of 2-MF with different carbonyl compounds. After hydrodeoxygenation over the Ni/AlPO4-800 catalyst, these HAA products can be selectively transformed into jet fuel and diesel range branched alkanes.