Direct decomposition of lignocellulose by mechanocatalysis

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K18853
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 27:Chemical engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Takagaki Atsushi 九州大学, 工学研究院, 准教授 (30456157)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: バイオマス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A nearly full glucose conversion with 45% formic acid yield were obtained over calcium oxide catalyst using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant. The activity was highly dependent on the basicity of solid oxides, and the kinetic analysis revealed the contribution of C-C bond cleavage by the retroaldol reaction catalyzed by the base and the reaction mechanism of carboxylic acid formation by the oxidation reaction. The yield of formic acid from cellobiose (disaccharide) using a solid base was low as isomerization of the disaccharide occurred preferentially and hydrolysis did not proceed well. It was found that two steps are effective for the production of formic acid from polysaccharides: the cleavage of glycosidic linkages by acid followed by the formation of formic acid by base.

Free Research Field

触媒化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、木質系バイオマスから有用化合物としてギ酸を生成するための反応および触媒の開発に関するものである。安価な酸化カルシウムを用いて、単糖からギ酸を良好な収率であることが明らかになった。一方で、多糖類から直接ギ酸を得ようとすると、酸化カルシウムのような固体塩基触媒単独では困難であることがわかった。これまで、液体酸や固体酸を用いたセルロースなどの多糖類からの加水分解反応は我々も含めて精力的に研究がなされており、固体酸と固体塩基の組み合わせによって多糖類からギ酸への合成が可能であることを示した。