Tuning the selectivity of natural oils and fatty acids/esters deoxygenation to biofuels and fatty alcohols:A review

The chemical transformation of natural oils provides alternatives to limited fossil fuels and produces compounds with added value for the chemical industries.The selective deoxygenation of natural oils to diesel-ranged hydrocarbons,bio-jet fuels,or fatty alcohols with controllable selectivity is especially attractive in natural oil feedstock biorefineries.This review presents recent progress in catalytic deoxygenation of natural oils or related model compounds(e.g.,fatty acids)to renewable liquid fuels(green diesel and bio-jet fuels)and valuable fatty alcohols(unsaturated and saturated fatty alcohols).Besides,it discusses and compares the existing and potential strategies to control the product selectivity over heterogeneous catalysts.Most research conducted and reviewed has only addressed the production of one category;therefore,a new integrative vision exploring how to direct the process toward fuel and/or chemicals is urgently needed.Thus,work conducted to date addressing the development of new catalysts and studying the influence of the reaction parameters(e.g.,temperature,time and hydrogen pressure)is summarized and critically discussed from a green and sustainable perspective using efficiency indicators(e.g.,yields,selectivity,turnover frequencies and catalysts lifetime).Special attention has been given to the chemical transformations occurring to identify key descriptors to tune the selectivity toward target products by manipulating the reaction conditions and the structures of the catalysts.Finally,the challenges and future research goals to develop novel and holistic natural oil biorefineries are proposed.As a result,this critical review provides the readership with appropriate information to selectively control the transformation of natural oils into either biofuels and/or value-added chemicals.This new flexible vision can help pave the wave to suit the present and future market needs.

A review on photo-, electro- and photoelectro- catalytic strategies for selective oxidation of alcohols

Traditional conversion of alcohols into carbonyl compounds exists a few drawbacks such as harsh reaction conditions,production of large amounts of hazardous wastes,and poor selectivity.The newly emerging conversion approaches via photo-,electro-,and photoelectro-catalysis to oxidize alcohols into high value-added corresponding carbonyl compounds as well as the possible simultaneous production of clean fuel hydrogen(H_(2))under mild conditions are promising to substitute the traditional approach to form greener and sustainable reaction systems and thus have aroused tremendous investigations.In this review,the state-of-the-art photocatalytic,electrocatalytic,and photoelectrocatalytic strategies for selective oxidation of different types of alcohols(aromatic and aliphatic alcohols,single alcohol,and polyols,etc.)as well as the simultaneous production of H_(2) in certain systems are discussed.The design of photocatalysts,electrocatalysts,and photoelectrocatalysts as well as reaction mechanism is summarized and discussed in detail.In the end,current challenges and future research directions are proposed.It is expected that this review will not only deepen the understanding of environmentally friendly catalytic systems for alcohol conversion as well as H_(2) production,but also enlighten significance and inspirations for the follow-up study of selective oxidation of various types of organic molecules to value-added chemicals.

Reducing Yield of Fusel Alcohols by Saccharomyces cerevisiae of Compound Mutagenesis Through UV-MPMS Method

Excessive fusel alcohol contents will cause the beer to produce off-flavors and cause dizziness and headaches.Reducing the contents of fusel alcohols in beer is very important to people's health.The excessive fusel alcohol contents in beer is a common problem in the industry.How to control the contents of fusel alcohols in a reasonable range is of great significance for improving beer quality.After one round of ultraviolet(UV)and one round of multifunctional plasma mutagenesis system(MPMS)mutagenesis,the yeast strains with lower fusel oil yield and more stablility could be screened.According to the relationship between the fusel alcohol Harris metabolic pathway of brewer's yeast and lactic acid metabolism,excellent strains were obtained by triple screening with lactic acid medium,calcium carbonate medium and 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride upper medium.The content of fusel alcohol in the finished beer fermentation test of screened strain Z43 was 52.1±0.142 mg•L^(-1),which was 43%lower than that of the starting strain,and other fermentation properties remained unchanged.After eight passages,it was verified that the strain was stable and heritable.These results showed that strain Z43 presented promising characteristics for use in the production of beer with a potentially low contents of fusel alcohols.

Graphene-based electrodes and catalysts for electroreduction of CO_(2)to low-carbon alcohols

The electrochemical reduction of CO_(2)(CO_(2)ER)into the renewable and sustainable green fuels,such as low-carbon alcohols,is one of several workable strategies.CO_(2)ER can be combined with renewable electricity to transform intermittent energy sources(such as wind,hydro,and solar)into a fuel that can be stored until it is ready to be used.The intrinsic characteristics of the employed catalyst have a significant and substantial effect on the efficiency of CO_(2)ER and the ensuing economic viability.The paradigmatic multicarbon alcohol catalysts should increase the concentration of*CO in the reaction environment,stabilize the key intermediate products during the reaction,and facilitate the C-C coupling interaction.Since graphene has a large surface area and exceptional conductivity,it has been used as a support for active phases(nanoparticles or nanosheets).It is possible for graphene to enhance charge transport and accelerate CO_(2)conversion through its electronic and structural coupling effects.At the interface,a synergy can be produced that improves CO_(2)ER by increasing*CO adsorption,intermediate binding,and stability.This article focuses on recent advancements in graphene-based catalysts that promote CO_(2)ER to alcohols.Likewise,this paper also describes and discusses the key role graphene plays in catalyzing CO_(2)ER into alcohols.Finally,we hope to provide future ideas for the design of graphene-based electrocatalysts.

Differentiation of Positional Isomers of Propyl Alcohols Using Filament-Induced Fluorescence

We experimentally demonstrate the recognition of positional isomers of propyl alcohol vapor through nonlinear fluorescence induced by high-intensity femtosecond laser filaments in air. By measuring characteristic fluorescence of n-propyl and isopropyl alcohol vapors produced by femtosecond filament excitation, it is found that they show identical spectra, that is, those from molecular bands of CH, C2, Nit, OH and CN, while the relative intensities are different. By comparing the ratios of the CH and C2 signals, the two propyl alcohol isomers are differentiated. The different signal intensities are ascribed to different ionization potentials of the two isomer molecules, leading to different production efficiencies of fluorescing fragments.

Cobalt–copper based catalysts for higher terminal alcohols synthesis via Fischer–Tropsch reaction

The production of higher terminal alcohols through CO hydrogenation according to the Fischer–Tropsch(F–T) process has been a topic of interest since the Institut Fran?ais du Pétrole(IFP) demonstrated shortchain C_1–C_6mixed alcohols production over cobalt–copper based catalysts. A number of catalyst formulations were screened for their suitability at that time. In particular, the addition of Cr, Zn, Al, Mn and V to Co Cu was investigated. In a number of patents, it was shown that catalyst preparation is crucial in these catalyst formulations and that high alcohols selectivity can only be achieved by carefully respecting the procedures and recipes. This short critical review highlights recent developments in Co Cu-based catalysts for higher terminal alcohols synthesis via F–T synthesis. Special attention will be given to catalyst preparation which according to developments in our group is based on oxalate precipitation. This way we show that the close association of Co and Cu on the one hand and promoter/dispersant on the other are of utmost importance to ensure high performance of the catalysts. We shall concentrate on 'Co Cu Mn','Co Cu Mo' and 'Co Cu Nb' catalyst formulations, all prepared via oxalate precipitation and combined with'entrainment techniques' if necessary, and show high total alcohols selectivity can be obtained with tunable Anderson-Schulz-Flory chain-lengthening probability. Either long-chain C_8–C_(14)terminal alcohols as feedstock for plasticizers, lubricants and detergents, or short-chain C_2–C_5alcohols as 'alkanol' fuels or fuel additives can be formed this way.

Regioselective tetrahydropyranylation of alcohols catalyzed by Fe(HSO_4)_3

Alcohols are selectively and efficiently protected as their tetrahydropranyl ethers in the presence of a catalytic amount of Fe（HSO4）3 in good to high yields. All reactions are performed under mild and completely heterogeneous reaction conditions.

Conversion of syngas to higher alcohols over Cu-Fe-Zr catalysts induced by ethanol

Ethanol induced method was applied to prepare Cu-Fe-Zr catalysts for conversion of syngas to higher alcohols. The catalytic performance of the catalysts induced by ethanol was superior to that of the catalyst prepared by the conventional precipitation method. Among various procedures for ethanol induced method, it was found that incorporation of ethanol in the precipitation process was the better. After incorporation of ethanol, the crystal size of CuO decreased and the reduction of copper species became easier. The better activity of Cu-Fe-Zr catalysts prepared by ethanol induced procedures was probably caused by the higher dispersion of Cu species.

V(HSO_4)_3 catalyzed chemoselectivity acetylation of alcohols and phenols in solution and under solvent-free conditions

A variety of alcohols and phenols are efficiently acetylated with acetic anhydride in the presence of a catalytic amount of V（HSO4）3 in solution and under solvent free conditions. Mild reaction conditions, high yields of the products, easy procedure and selective acetylation of alcohols and phenols in the presence of amines and thiols are the main advantages of this procedure.

Effect of elemental molar ratio on the synthesis of higher alcohols over Co-promoted alkali-modified Mo_2C catalysts supported on CNTs

A series of molybdenum carbide catalysts promoted by potassium and cobalt,supported on carbon nanotubes（CNTs） were prepared by carbothermal hydrogen reduction method using CNTs as a carbon precursor.Firstly,molybdenum and cobalt were loaded by co-precipitation method,and then potassium and additional molybdenum were impregnated to previous resultant.Different Mo/Co and K/Co molar ratio were used in catalyst synthesis.All the catalysts were characterized by ICP,BET,TEM,TPR,XRD and XPS,and the catalysts performances for higher alcohols synthesis（HAS） were investigated in a fixed-bed micro-reactor.The maximum selectivity to higher alcohols（C2＋OH） was obtained at Mo/Co and K/Mo molar ratios of 1.66 and 0.6,respectively.XRD results confirmed the formation of K-Mo-C site and Co3Mo3 C phase that might play important role in producing C2＋OH.

A Facile and Efficient Oxidation of α,β-Unsaturated Alcohols with Manganese Dioxide in Ionic Liquids under Mild Conditions

The oxidation of a,b-unsaturated primary and secondary alcohols to corresponding aldehydes and ketones by manganese dioxide in ionic liquids as a safe recyclable and accelerative reaction medium under mild conditions are described. The rate of the oxidation reaction is faster and the yield is higher than that with conventional procedures.

Visible light-driven oxidant-free dehydrogenation of alcohols in water using porous ultrathin g-C_(3)N_(4)nanosheets

Graphitic carbon nitride(g-C_(3)N_(4)) is a fascinating photocatalyst for solar energy utilization in photo-catalysis.Nevertheless,it often suffers from moderate photo-catalytic activity due to its low specific surface area and fast recombination rate of photogenerated electrons upon photo-excitation.Herein,we overcome the bottlenecks by constructing a porous g-C_(3)N_(4) nanosheet(PCNS)through a simple thermal oxidation etching method.Benefited from its porous layer structure,the obtained PCNS exhibits large specific surface area,efficient separation of photogenerated charge carriers,as well as high exposure of active sites.As a result,it is robust and universal in visible light-driven dehydrogenation of alcohols in water under oxidant-free condition.Almost quantitative yields(>99%)of various valuable carbonyl compounds were obtained over PCNS,while bulk g-C_(3)N_(4) was far less efficient.Moreover,the photo-catalyst was highly stable and could be facilely recovered from the aqueous system for efficient reuse.The easy preparation and excellent performance made PCNS a promising and competitive photocatalyst for the solar applications.

Synergistic effect between few layer graphene and carbon nanotube supports for palladium catalyzing electrochemical oxidation of alcohols

Few layer graphene （FLG）, multi-walled carbon nanotubes （CNTs） and a nanotube-graphene composite （CNT-FLG） were used as supports for palladium nanoparticles. The catalysts, which were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, were used as anodes in the electrooxidation of ethanol, ethylene glycol and glycerol in half cells and in passive direct ethanol fuel cells. Upon Pd deposition, a stronger interaction was found to occur between the metal and the nanotube-graphene composite and the particle size was significantly smaller in this material （6.3 nm）, comparing with nanotubes and graphene alone （8 and 8.4 nm, respectively）. Cyclic voltammetry experiments conducted with Pd/CNT, Pd/FLG and Pd/CNT-FLG in 10 wt% ethanol and 2 M KOH solution, showed high specific currents of 1.48, 2.29 and 2.51 mA-/zgp-d, respectively. Moreover, the results obtained for ethylene glycol and glycerol oxidation highlighted the excellent electrocatalytic activity of Pd/CNT-FLG in terms of peak current density （up to 3.70 mAgd for ethylene glycol and 1.84 mAfor glycerol, respectively）. Accordingly, Pd/CNT-FLG can be considered as the best performing one among the electrocatalysts ever reported for ethylene glycol oxidation, especially considering the low metal loading used in this work. Direct ethanol fuel cells at room temperature were studied by obtaining power density curves and undertaking galvanostatic experiments. The power density outputs using Pd/CNT, Pd/FLG and Pd/CNT-FLG were 12.1, 16.3 and 18.4 mW.cm-2, respectively. A remarkable activity for ethanol electrooxidation was shown by Pd/CNT-FLG anode catalyst. In a constant current experiment, the direct ethanol fuel cell containing Pd/CNT-FLG could continuously deliver 20 mA.cm-2 for 9.5 h during the conversion of ethanol into acetate of 30%, and the energy released from the cell was about 574 J.

Intrinsic properties of active sites for hydrogen production from alcohols without coke formation

The detailed reaction pathway and coke formation mechanism over Pt/metal oxide nanoparticles during the steam reforming of ethanol （SRE） at 300℃ were studied. The catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation method and were characterized with CO pulse chemisorption, BET surface measurement, oxygen adsorption, ethanol-TPD, NH3-TPD, and TPO. The SRE activity of the catalysts with steam/ethanol molar ratio of 3/1 was tested using a continuous fixed-bed reactor. Strong interaction between Pt and supports causes lower H2 production temperatures and no C2H4 formation, while weak interaction leads to C2H4 formation and strong bonded CO on Pt particles during ethanol- TPD. H2 production over Pt-based catalysts is mainly resulted from the decomposition and dehydrogenation of ethanol, and decarbonylation of acetaldehyde. Meanwhile, coke can be formed from acetaldehyde, acetone, C2H4 and CO. However, when the interaction between Pt and supports is weak, more coke is formed especially from acetone, C2H4 and CO. When the interaction is strong, no coke formation is observed due to high oxygen storage capacity of the catalyst.

Active sites contribution from nanostructured interface of palladium and cerium oxide with enhanced catalytic performance for alcohols oxidation in alkaline solution

Nanostructured interface is significant for the electrocatalysis process. Here we comparatively studied the electrooxidation of alcohols catalyzed by nanostructured palladium or palladium-cerium oxide. Two kinds of active sites were observed in palladium-cerium oxide system, attributing to the co-action of Pd-cerium oxide interface and Pd sites alone, by CO stripping technique, a structure-sensitive process generally employed to probe the active sites. Active sites resulting from the nanostructured interfacial contact of Pd and cerium oxide were confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and electrochemical CO stripping approaches. Electrochemical measurements of cyclic voltammetry and chronometry results demonstrated that Pd-cerium oxide catalysts exhibited much higher catalytic performances for alcohols oxidation than Pd alone in terms of activity, stability and anti-poisoning ability.The improved performance was probably attributed to the nanostructured active interface in which the catalytic ability from each component can be maximized through the synergistic action of bi-functional mechanism and electronic effect. The calculated catalytic efficiency of such active sites was many times higher than that of the Pd active sites alone. The present work showed the significance of valid nanostructured interface design and fabrication in the advanced catalysis system.

Solvent-free alkylation of dimethyl malonate using benzyl alcohols catalyzed by FeCl_3/SiO_2

Activated methylene compound such as dimethyl malonate reacted readily with benzylic alcohols in the presence of ferric chloride/silica gel mixture （FeCl3/SiO2） under microwave irradiation to produce benzylic derivative of dimethyl malonate in high yields in solvent-free condition. 2009 Mohammad Reza Shushizadeh. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.

Stereoselective Synthesis of δd-Selanyl Allylic Alcohols by Hydrozirconation of Propargyl Selenides

Hydrozirconation of propargyl selenides afford (E)-3-selanyl vinylzirconocenes chlorides 2. Intermediates 2 reacted with aldehydes to obtain d-selanyl allylic alcohols.

Oxidation of benzyl alcohols to ketones and aldehydes by O3 process enhanced using high-gravity technology

In this study,a practical process for ozonization of benzyl alcohols to ketones and aldehydes in a rotating packed bed(RPB-O3)reactor has been developed.Using 1-phenylethanol as a model reactant,the performance of RPB-O3 process in different solvents has been compared with the commonly used stirred tank reactor(STR-O3).Ethyl acetate was the optimum solvent for the conversion of 1-phenylenthanol to acetophenone in RPB-O3 process,with 78%yield after 30 min.In a parallel STR-O3 experiment,the yield of acetophenone was50%.Other experimental variables,i.e.O3 concentration,reaction time,high-gravity factor and liquid flow rate were also optimized.The highest yield of acetophenone was obtained using O3 concentration of 80 mg·L-1,reaction time of 30 min,high gravity factor of 40 and liquid flow rate of 120 L·h-1.Under the optimized reaction conditions,a series of structurally diverse primary and secondary alcohols was oxidized with(19%–92%)yield.The ozonization mechanism was studied by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance(EPR)spectroscopy,monitoring the radical species formed upon self-decomposition of O3.The characteristic quadruple peak with the 1:2:2:1 intensity ratio that corresponds to hydroxyl radicals(·OH)was observed in the electron paramagnetic resonance(EPR)spectrum,indicating an indirect oxidation mechanism of alcohols via·OH radical.

Convenient Asymmetric Borane Reduction of Ketones Catalyzed by Simple Amino Alcohols and Corresponding Amino Acids

An asymmetric borane reduction of prochiral ketones catalyzed by simple amino alcohols and corresponding amino acids was examined to give alcohols with e.e. value up to 92% .