Hydrodeoxygenation of the angelica lactone dimer, a cellulose-based feedstock: Simple, high-yield synthesis of branched C₇-C₁₀ gasoline-like hydrocarbons

Dehydration of biomass-derived levulinic acid under solid acid catalysis and treatment of the resulting angelica lactone with catalytic K ₂CO₃ produces the angelica lactone dimer in excellent yield. This dimer serves as a novel feedstock for hydrodeoxygenation, which proceeds under relatively mild conditions with a combination of oxophilic metal and noble metal catalysts to yield branched C₇-C₁₀ hydrocarbons in the gasoline volatility range. Considering that levulinic acid is available in >80 % conversion from raw biomass, a field-to-tank yield of drop-in, cellulosic gasoline of >60 % is possible. Fuel for thought: Biomass-derived levulinic acid can be converted in three simple steps via the angelica lactone dimer into branched, gasoline-range hydrocarbons in high yield by using a combination of oxophilic metal and noble metal catalysts (see scheme).