Phosphorus-containing solid catalysts and reactions catalyzed thereby, including synthesis of p-xylene
AssigneesRegents of the University of Minnesota, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of Delaware
InventorsHong Je Cho, Wei Fan, Michael Tsapatsis, Paul J. Dauenhauer, Limin Ren, Raul Lobo
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Abstract
Methods and phosphorus-containing solid catalysts for catalyzing dehydration of cyclic ethers (e.g., furans, such as 2,5-dimethylfuran) and alcohols (e.g., ethanol and isopropanol). The alcohols and cyclic ethers may be derived from biomass. One example includes a tandem Diels-Alder cycloaddition and dehydration of biomass-derived 2,5-dimethyl-furan and ethylene to renewable p-xylene. The phosphorus-containing solid catalysts are also active and selective for dehydration of alcohols to alkenes.
Claims43
A catalyst comprising:
- a porous material;
- and
- phosphorus coupled to the porous material, wherein the porous material comprises a microporous material, a mesoporous material, or a micro-mesoporous material.
A method of dehydrating a reactant comprising a cyclic ether or an alcohol, the method comprising:
- contacting the reactant with a catalyst, wherein the catalyst comprises a phosphorus-containing porous material.
A method of synthesizing a catalyst comprising phosphorus, the method comprising:
- contacting a porous material with a phosphorus-containing compound to yield a wet porous material comprising phosphorus, wherein the porous material comprises a microporous material, a mesoporous material, or a micro-mesoporous material;
- removing water from the wet porous material comprising phosphorus to yield a dry porous material comprising phosphorus;
- and
- calcining the dry porous material comprising phosphorus to yield a catalyst comprising phosphorus coupled to the mesoporous material.
A method for synthesizing p-xylene, the method comprising:
- contacting, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a phosphorus-containing microporous, mesoporous, or micro-mesoporous material, biomass-derived 2,5-dimethylfuran with ethylene in a nonaqueous solvent to yield p-xylene.
A method of synthesizing a catalyst comprising phosphorus, the method comprising:
- solvo-thermally synthesizing a porous material in the presence of a phosphorus-containing compound to yield a wet porous material comprising phosphorus, wherein the porous material comprises a microporous material, a mesoporous material, or a micro-mesoporous material;
- removing water from the wet porous material comprising phosphorus to yield a dry porous material comprising phosphorus;
- and
- calcining the dry porous material comprising phosphorus to yield a catalyst comprising phosphorus coupled to the porous material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.