Direct ethanol condensation to diethyl acetal in the vapour phase at atmospheric pressure over CuNP/SBA-15 catalysts

Of the biomass valorization technologies, bioethanol production and its selective conversion to diethyl acetal is of utmost importance to meet the increasing demand for bio-fuel additives. Direct synthesis of diethyl acetal in a single step from bioethanol using SBA-15-supported copper nanoparticle (CuNP/SBA-15) catalysts without using hydrogen acceptors and high pressure has been achieved as an alternative to the age-old two-step process via (i) partial oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde and (ii) acetaldehyde acetalization with ethanol. The prepared CuNP/SBA-15 catalysts with the SBA-15 support and copper nitrate (Cu (NO 3 ) 2 ·H 2 O) were characterized by using N 2 adsorption, SEM, TEM, XRD, FT-IR, TPD of NH 3 , H 2 -TPR and N 2 O pulse chemisorption techniques. Analysis of the results showed the physico-chemical characterestics of these catalysts responsible for the acceptorless partial oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde and its acetalization with ethanol to yield diethyl acetal with high selectivity. Of the biomass valorization technologies, bioethanol production and its selective conversion to diethyl acetal is of utmost importance to meet the increasing demand for bio-fuel additives.