One-pot conversion from lignocellulosic biomass to isosorbide

Abstract

Isosorbide and its derivatives are important monomers in the polymer industry and valuable intermediates in the pharmaceutical industry. Recently, one-pot conversion of cellulose into isosorbide has been reported using supported metal catalysts and acid catalysts. The present study investigated one-pot conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into isosorbide using supported metal catalyst and ion-exchange resin Amberlyst 70. Isosorbide could be obtained from one-pot conversion of Japanese cedar with 25.4 % yield using supported ruthenium catalyst and Amberlyst 70 at 463 K. Isosorbide yields from one-pot conversion of eucalyptus and bagasse were 8.3 % and 12.8 %, respectively. One-pot conversion has the potential to be a powerful method to convert lignocellulosic biomass to useful chemicals.