Photocatalytic Hydrodecarboxylation of Fatty Acids for Drop-in Biofuels Production

Abstract

A mild, practical, and environmentally friendly method for the hydrodecarboxylation of fatty acids using an acridine-based photoredox catalyst and thiophenol was developed. Cn-1 alkanes were synthesized in good to excellent yields (up to 99 %) from C10−C18 saturated fatty acids under visible light irradiation (405 nm). The developed protocol was employed for a mixture of fatty acids obtained from the hydrolysis of Licuri oil, affording a mixture of C9−C17 hydrocarbons in quantitative yield, which demonstrates the potential application of the method to produce drop-in biofuels.