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Catalytic conversion of lignocellulosic polysaccharides to commodity biochemicals: a review

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Abstract

The applications of green chemistry and industrial bioprocessing are becoming more popular to address concerns of pollution, climate change, global warming, circular bioeconomy, sustainable development goals and energy security. Both biological and thermochemical routes can play vital roles in transforming waste lignocellulosic biomass to high-value bioproducts. Lignocellulosic biomass contains essential building blocks that could be tapped to generate biofuels, biochemicals and biomaterials to replace petroleum-derived fuels and chemicals. Besides containing extractives and ash, lignocellulosic feedstocks are made up of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin typically in the ranges of 35–55 wt%, 20–40 wt% and 10–25 wt%, respectively. Catalytic thermochemical approaches are effective for biomass conversion with a significant yield of various platform chemicals, such as furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, levulinic acid and other furan or non-furan-based chemicals. These chemicals play a crucial part in the synthesis of different fuel-based materials, which can successfully replace petroleum-based chemicals or fuels. Lignocellulosic biomass and their derived monomeric sugars can be catalytically converted into various platform chemicals using different homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. In this review paper, we have highlighted some promising catalysts such as mineral acids, mesoporous silica materials, zeolites, metal–organic frameworks, metal oxides and ionic liquids used in biorefining to generate biochemicals. We have also reviewed a few pieces of notable literature presenting the catalytic conversion of cellulose, hemicellulose, cellobiose, glucose, fructose and xylose into various high-value chemicals.

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source: Market and Research 2019; Markets and Markets 2020b; Grand View Research 2020b; EMR 2020a; EMR 2020b; Grand View Research 2021). Note the highest market share of bioethanol followed by sorbitol, lactic acid, xylitol and furfural. Bioethanol has the highest market share globally because of its diverse applications as a laboratory chemical, industrial commodity, biofuel and precursor for other value-added products. Other biochemicals have found applications in specialty industries such as food processing, beverages, pharmaceuticals, laboratory chemical manufacturing, bioplastics and fuel processing, to name a few

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Abbreviations

Al+ 3 :

Aluminum ion

Al2O3 :

Aluminum oxide

Sn-β-NH2 :

Amino functionalized tin impregnated beta-zeolite

NH2 :

Amino group

NH4 + :

Ammonium

HSO3/ZSM-5:

Bisulfite functionalized Zeolite Socony Mobil–5

HSO3 :

Bisulfite

CO2 :

Carbon dioxide

CO:

Carbon monoxide

COK:

Centre for Research Chemistry and Catalysis

Co:

Cobalt

CAGR:

Compound annual growth rate

°C:

Degree Celsius

g:

Gram

h:

Hour

HCl:

Hydrochloric acid

H+ :

Hydrogen ion or proton

H2 :

Hydrogen molecule

H3O+ :

Hydronium ion

kJ/mol:

Kilojoule per mole

KIT:

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

Lys-PM2 :

Lysine functionalized phosphotungstic acid

MPa:

Megapascal

MOF:

Metal–organic framework

Methane:

CH4

MSU:

Michigan State University

min:

Minute

MCM-41:

Mobil Composition of Matter-41

MCM-48:

Mobil Composition of Matter-48

MCM-50:

Mobil Composition of Matter-50

M:

Molar

Mo2O3 :

Molybdenum oxide

H-Mordenite:

Mordenite in protonic form

NiCo/H-ZSM-5:

Nickel and Cobalt biofunctionalized Zeolite Socony Mobil–5 in the protonic form

Ni:

Nickel

Nb/SBA-15:

Niobium impregnated Santa Barbara Amorphous-15

Nb2O5 :

Niobium oxide

HNO3 :

Nitric acid

PO4 3 −/NU-1000:

Phosphated Zr-based metal–organic framework

H3PO4 :

Phosphoric acid

PO4 3 −/TiO2 :

Phosporated titanium oxide

Pt:

Platinum

Ru/MCM-48:

Ruthenium impregnated Mobil Composition of Matter-48

Ru:

Ruthenium

SBA-15:

Santa Barbara Amorphous-15

SBA-16:

Santa Barbara Amorphous-16

s:

Second

SiO2 :

Silicon dioxide

Si+ 4 :

Silicon ion

Si/Al:

Silicon to aluminum ratio

Si/Nb:

Silicon to niobium ratio

H4SiW12O40 :

Silicotungstic acid

NaOH:

Sodium hydroxide

Na+ :

Sodium ion

MIL-101(Cr)-SO3H:

Sulfonic acid-modified chromium terephthalate-based metal–organic framework (Matérial Institut Lavoisier)

Pt/SBA-15/SO3H:

Sulfonic acid-modified Platinum impregnated Santa Barbara Amorphous-15

H2SO4 :

Sulfuric acid

SO3H:

Sulphonic acid

Ta3O5 :

Tantalum oxide

Sn-β zeolite:

Tin impregnated beta zeolite

SnO2 :

Tin oxide

Sn:

Tin

TiO2 :

Titanium oxide

WO3-Ta3O5 :

Tungsten trioxide impregnated tantalum oxide

WO3-TiO2 :

Tungsten trioxide impregnated titanium oxide

WO3-ZrO2 :

Tungsten trioxide impregnated zirconium oxide

WO3 :

Tungsten trioxide

H-USY:

Ultrastable Y in the protonic form

U.S.$:

United State Dollar

H2O:

Water

wt%:

Weight percentage

ZSM-5:

Zeolite Socony Mobil–5

H-Zeolite Y:

Zeolite Y in protonic form

Cu0.89Zn0.11O:

Zinc doped copper oxide

ZrO2 :

Zirconium oxide

ZrO2–TiO2 :

Zirconium-titanium mixed oxide

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Funding

The authors would like to thank the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program for funding this bioenergy research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

    Falguni Pattnaik, Biswa R. Patra, Sonil Nanda & Ajay K. Dalai

  2. Centre for Rural Development and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India

    Falguni Pattnaik, Shreya Tripathi, Vivek Kumar & Satyanarayan Naik

Authors
  1. Falguni Pattnaik
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  2. Shreya Tripathi
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  3. Biswa R. Patra
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  4. Sonil Nanda
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  5. Vivek Kumar
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  6. Ajay K. Dalai
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  7. Satyanarayan Naik
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ajay K. Dalai.

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Pattnaik, F., Tripathi, S., Patra, B.R. et al. Catalytic conversion of lignocellulosic polysaccharides to commodity biochemicals: a review. Environ Chem Lett 19, 4119–4136 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-021-01284-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-021-01284-x

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