Heterogeneous Catalytic Hydrogenation of Biobased Levulinic and Succinic Acids in Aqueous Solutions

Supported noble‐metal catalysts (Ru, Pd or Pt) and the corresponding Re‐promoted catalysts exhibit a high activity for the hydrogenation of biobased carboxylic acids. Levulinic acid and succinic acid are converted into the lactones or the diols depending on the nature of the catalyst and the reaction conditions. The highest selectivity to 1,4‐pentanediol of 82 % is achieved at 140 °C in the presence of the 1.9 % Ru–3.6 % Re/C catalyst. Switching between diols and lactones: This article focuses mainly on the comparison of the reactivity of two biobased carboxylic acids, namely levulinic acid and succinic acid, in water in the presence of carbon‐supported noble metals. The optimization of the reaction conditions allows to increase the yield and selectivity to diols (butanediol and pentanediol). Thus, it is possible to obtain pentanediol from levulinic acid under milder conditions compared to succinic acid.