Hydrolysis of cellulose catalyzed by quaternary ammonium perrhenates in 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 197; pp. 42 - 47
• Main Authors: Wang, Jingyun, Zhou, Mingdong, Yuan, Yuguo, Zhang, Quan, Fang, Xiangchen, Zang, Shuliang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2015
• Subjects: Allyl Compounds - chemistry; Ammonium Compounds - chemistry; Cellulose; Cellulose - chemistry; Cellulose - metabolism; Hydrolysis; Imidazoles - chemistry; Ionic liquid; Perrhenate; Rhenium - chemistry; Hydrolysis; Perrhenate; Cellulose; Ionic liquid
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.07.110

•Quaternary ammonium perrhenates are for the first time applied as catalysts for cellulose hydrolysis in ionic liquid.•Hydrogen bonding between ReO4 anion and hydroxyl groups of cellulose is assumed to be crucial in cellulose hydrolysis.•The structure of quaternary ammonium cations affects the efficiency of cellulose hydrolysis. Quaternary ammonium perrhenates were applied as catalyst to promote the hydrolysis of cellulose in 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Amim]Cl). The quaternary ammonium perrhenates displayed good catalytic performance for cellulose hydrolysis. Water was also proven to be effective to promote cellulose hydrolysis. Accordingly, 97% of total reduced sugar (TRS) and 42% of glucose yields could be obtained under the condition of using 5mol% of tetramethyl ammonium perrhenate as catalyst, 70μL of water, ca. 0.6mmol of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and 2.0g of [Amim]Cl as solvent under microwave irradiation for 30min at 150°C (optimal conditions). The influence of quaternary ammonium cation on the efficiency of cellulose hydrolysis was examined based on different cation structures of perrhenates. The mechanism on perrhenate catalyzed cellulose hydrolysis is also discussed, whereas hydrogen bonding between ReO4 anion and hydroxyl groups of cellulose is assumed to be the key step for depolymerization of cellulose.