Comparative study of different catalysts for the direct conversion of cellulose to sorbitol

The catalytic conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to obtain high added value compounds and fuels is a rapidly developing field. Given the abundance of this renewable raw material and its reduced impact on the food chain, it is an attractive source for obtaining chemicals or fuels in the context of a sustainable economy. In this work, bi-functional catalysts were developed that were capable of performing in a single step the hydrolysis and hydrogenation of cellulose to produce compounds that may be used in the production of fine chemicals or easily converted into fuels (e.g., sorbitol). Different activated carbon (AC) supported metal catalysts were examined for the one-pot hydrolytic hydrogenation of cellulose. Among the prepared catalysts, 0.4% Ru/AC was shown to be the most active and selective for the conversion of cellulose into sorbitol. When microcrystalline cellulose was used, a conversion of 32% was reached after 5 h of reaction, with a selectivity to sorbitol of 30%. Moreover, ball-milled cellulose allowed attaining conversions over 50%, with selectivities to sorbitol of 45%. The results obtained showed that Ru/AC is effective for the hydrolytic hydrogenation of cellulose to sugar alcohols and that the conversion can be greatly improved by using the substrate after pre-treatment by ball-milling.