Manufacture of 3-methyl-tetrahydrofuran from 2-methyl-gamma-butyrolactone

A process for preparing 3-methyl-tetrahydrofuran comprising heating 2-methyl-gamma-butyrolactone represented by formula (I) in the presence of hydrogen a catalytic amount of a metal catalyst and a catalyst promoter

• wherein said catalyst is selected from a group consisting of copper, cobalt, nickel, iron, rhenium, palladium, ruthenium, platinum, rhodium, manganese, iridium, technetium, osmium, gold, compounds thereof, and combinations thereof;
• wherein, said catalyst promoter is selected from group consisting of tin, zinc, copper, gold, silver, sulfuric acid, fluorosulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, benzenesulfonic acid, phosphotungtstic acid, phosphomolybdic acid, trifluromethanesulfonic acid, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluorethanesulfonic acid, 1,1,1,2,3,4-hexafluorpropanesulfonic acid, bismuth triflate, yttrium triflate, ytterbium triflate, neodymium triflate, lanthanum triflate, scandium triflate, zirconium triflate, heteropolyacids supported on zirconia, titania, Zn(BF4)2, methane sulfonic acid, Nafion®;
• wherein said catalyst is supported on a catalyst support and wherein said catalyst support is selected from group consisting of carbon, alumina, silica, zirconia, silica-alumina, titania, compounds thereof and combinations thereof;
• wherein said process is performed at a temperature from about 100° C. to about 250° C;
• wherein said process is performed at a pressure from about 1.0 MPa to about 15.0 MPa;
• with a proviso that said catalyst is not a combination of a rhenium catalyst in combination with group VIII elements of the Periodic Table and an acidic substance, and
• with a proviso that said catalyst is not a rhenium catalyst supported on carbon.