Thermo-chemical conversion for production of levulinic and formic acids from glucosamine

• Published in: Fuel processing technology Vol. 172; pp. 115 - 124
• Main Authors: Park, Mi-Ra, Kim, Hyo Sun, Kim, Sung-Koo, Jeong, Gwi-Taek
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.04.2018; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: 5-hydroxymethylfurfural; Biodiesel fuels; Biopolymers; Chitin; Chitosan; Conversion; Formic acid; Fossil fuels; Glucosamine; Levulinic acid; Methanesulfonic acid; Organic chemistry; Platform chemicals; Regression models; Renewable resources; Statistical analysis; Glucosamine; Platform chemicals; Methanesulfonic acid; Levulinic acid; Formic acid; 5-hydroxymethylfurfural
• ISSN: 0378-3820; 1873-7188
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuproc.2017.12.016

Glucosamine is a monomer of chitin/chitosan, which is a renewable aquatic resource and the second most abundant biopolymer on the Earth. Moreover, methanesulfonic acid (MSA) is known as an eco-friendly green catalyst. In this study, the MSA-catalyzed conversion of glucosamine to levulinic (LA) and formic (FA) acids was optimized using the Box-Behnken statistical approach. The optimal conditions for LA yield were 50g/L glucosamine, 0.5M MSA, 200°C and 30min, which yielded 49.9% LA and 50.8% FA. The LA yield increased linearly with increasing combined severity factor (CSF) until 3.5 and then, was maintained as the CSF value was further increased. The FA yield behaved similarly to LA. Both trends fitted well to a sigmoid regression model with a high regression value. These results highlight the potential of glucosamine for biofuel and chemicals production via an MSA-catalyzed conversion system. •Glucosamine is a monomer of chitin/chitosan, which is a renewable aquatic resource.•Methanesulfonic acid (MSA) is known as an eco-friendly green catalyst.•49.9% LA and 50.8% FA were obtained under 50g/L glucosamine, 0.5M MSA, 200°C and 30min.