Catalytic conversion of cellulose to liquid hydrocarbon fuels by progressive removal of oxygen to facilitate separation processes and achieve high selectivities

A method for converting glucose to pentanoic acid, the method comprising:

• (a) hydrolyzing glucose derived from any source in an aqueous, acid-catalyzed reaction to yield a product mixture comprising levulinic acid and formic acid;
• then
• (b) converting at least a portion of the formic acid present in the product mixture to H2 and CO2 without separating the levulinic acid and formic acid present in the product mixture;
• and
• (c) reducing at least a portion of the levulinic acid present in the product mixture to γ-valerolactone using the H2 produced in step (b);
• and then
• (d) reducing at least a portion of the γ-valerolactone from step (c) to pentanoic acid.

A method for converting glucose to γ-valerolactone, the method comprising:

• (a) hydrolyzing glucose derived from any source in an aqueous, acid-catalyzed reaction by reacting the glucose with a mineral acid to yield a product mixture comprising levulinic acid and formic acid;
• then
• (b) converting, in the presence of the mineral acid, at least a portion of the formic acid present in the product mixture to H2 and CO2 without separating the levulinic acid and formic acid present in the product mixture;
• and
• (c) reducing, in the presence of the mineral acid, at least a portion of the levulinic acid present in the product mixture to γ-valerolactone using the H2 produced in step (b).