@article { ISI:000323179000029,
	title = {Single pot conversion of furfuryl alcohol to levulinic esters and gamma-valerolactone in the presence of sulfonic acid functionalized ILs and metal catalysts},
	journal = {Green Chemistry},
	volume = {15},
	number = {9},
	year = {2013},
	month = {JUL},
	pages = {2540-2547},
	publisher = {ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY},
	address = {THOMAS GRAHAM HOUSE, SCIENCE PARK, MILTON RD, CAMBRIDGE CB4 0WF, CAMBS, ENGLAND},
	abstract = {<p>Ionic liquids functionalized with acidic anions, HSO4, ClSO3H, PTSA, TFA (MIm), HSO4 and TFA (NMP) were found to efficiently (99\% conversion) catalyze the alcoholysis of furfuryl alcohol (FAL) in the presence of methanol, ethanol, n-butanol and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to the corresponding levulinic acid esters under mild temperature (90-130 degrees C) conditions. The extended alkyl chain length of [MIm] using 1,4-butane sultone enhanced the Bronsted acidity of [BMIm-SH][HSO4] catalyst resulting into the highest selectivity of \&gt;95\% to Me-LA. An increase in both temperature and catalyst concentration increased the furfuryl alcohol conversion and selectivity to levulinate esters. In contrast, an increase in the substrate concentration from 5 to 15\% caused a decrease in Me-LA selectivity due to accumulation of intermediate ethers of furfuryl alcohol. Using a combination of [BMIm-SH][HSO4] and 5\% Ru/C catalyst, direct conversion of FAL to gamma-valerolactone (GVL) is shown for the first time. A complete conversion of FAL with the highest selectivity of 68\% to GVL could be achieved under optimum conditions while higher Ru loading enhanced the GVL selectivity to 94\% in the hydrogenation step of this tandem approach. Our catalyst system could be efficiently recycled five times retaining the original activity and selectivity levels.</p>},
	issn = {1463-9262},
	doi = {10.1039/c3gc41098f},
	author = {Hengne, Amol M. and Kamble, Sumit B. and Rode, Chandrashekhar V.}
}
