Continuous Flow Conversion of Biomass-Derived Methyl Levulinate into γ-Valerolactone Using Functional Metal Organic Frameworks

The zirconium-based metal organic framework, UiO-66 (Zr), was successfully synthesized via solvothermal method, followed by various characterization including XRD, thermal analysis, N2 physisorption, and TEM. As-synthesized UiO-66 (Zr) was employed in the transformation of methyl levulinate (ML) to γ-valerolactone (GVL) via catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) under continuous flow and various reaction conditions, which gave superior catalytic performance and efficiency as compared to reported catalysts. The obtained results show great potential of applying UiO-66 (Zr) in upgrading biomass derivatives to useful biofuel/chemical products, paving the way for green energy production from renewable resources. © 2018 American Chemical Society.