Photo–Thermo-Dual Catalysis of Levulinic Acid and Levulinate Ester to γ-Valerolactone

Herein, we developed photo–thermo-dual catalytic strategies for the production of γ-valerolactone (GVL) from levulinic acid (LA) and its ester using platinum-loaded TiO2 as a dual-functional catalyst. Both catalytic systems were evaluated under mild reaction conditions. In the photocatalysis system, a base plays crucial roles in the conversion of LA and EL to GVL. The control experiments reveal that plausible mechanistic pathways of both systems proceed via the hydrogenation of the ketone group of LA to the corresponding alcohol as a major intermediate followed by a subsequent cyclization step to GVL. This dual-functional catalyst provides alternative strategies for the conversion of LA and its ester into GVL, which could pave the way for biomass utilization in a more effective and practical manner.