@article {45460,
	title = {Selective production of furanic ethers from lignocellulosic biomass over mesoporous Zr-incorporated SBA-15 catalyst},
	journal = {ChemistrySelect },
	volume = { 3},
	year = {2018},
	month = {NOV},
	pages = {12504-12511},
	type = { Article },
	abstract = {Etherification of furanic compounds such as furfuryl alcohol (FA) and 5-(Hydroxymethyl) furfural (5-HMF) to the corresponding ethers was successfully achieved over Zr-SBA-15 catalyst. For this purpose, various Zr-SBA-15 catalysts with different Zr/Si molar ratios in self-generated acidic environment were prepared by one-pot strategy in self-generated acidic environment. XRD analysis revealed the increase in the d-spacing from 9.021 nm for parent SBA-15 to 11.66 nm for Zr-SBA-15, confirming the incorporation of Zr into the framework without disturbing the mesoporous structure of SBA-15. For the lowest Zr concentration of 0.09 M, hexagonally ordered porous structure was found to be retained as confirmed by TEM while, increase in Zr/Si molar ratio to 0.14, resulted in loss of long range order mesoporosity. The presence of both Lewis and Bronsted acid sites in Zr-SBA-15 catalyst as evidenced by py-IR, were due to the introduction of Zr in the frame work of SBA-15. The co-existence of Lewis and Bronsted acid sites in Zr-SBA-15 was responsible to catalyze etherification of FA and esterification of levulinic acid producing 2-(Ethoxymethyl) furan and ethyl levulinate selectively, both of which are bio-derived fuel additives.},
	issn = {2365-6549},
	doi = { 10.1002/slct.201801939},
	author = {Patil, Chetana R. and Rode, Chandrashekhar, V.}
}
