Synthesis of bio-based methylcyclopentadiene via direct hydrodeoxygenation of 3-methylcyclopent-2-enone derived from cellulose

The exploration of highly efficient processes to convert renewable biomass to fuels and value-added chemicals is stimulated by the energy and environment problems. Herein, we describe an innovative route for the production of methylcyclopentadiene (MCPD) with cellulose, involving the transformation of cellulose into 3-methylcyclopent-2-enone (MCP) and subsequent selective hydrodeoxygenation to MCPD over a zinc-molybdenum oxide catalyst. The excellent performance of the zinc-molybdenum oxide catalyst is attributed to the formation of ZnMoO 3 species during the reduction of ZnMoO 4 . Experiments reveal that preferential interaction of ZnMoO 3 sites with the C=O bond instead of C=C bond in vapor-phase hydrodeoxygenation of MCP leads to highly selective formations of MCPD (with a carbon yield of 70%). Synthesis of methylcyclopentadiene (MCPD) with abundant biomass is appealing. Here the authors show that cellulose-derived 3-methylcyclopent-2-enone can be directly hydrodeoxygenated to MCPD over a partially reduced Zn-Mo oxide catalyst.