Highly Efficient Hydrogenation of Levulinic Acid into γ-Valerolactone using an Iron Pincer Complex

Abstract

The search for nonprecious-metal-based catalysts for the synthesis of γ-valerolactone (GVL) through hydrogenation of levulinic acid and its derivatives in an efficient fashion is of great interest and importance, as GVL is an important a sustainable liquid. We herein report a pincer iron complex that can efficiently catalyze the hydrogenation of levulinic acid and methyl levulinate into GVL, achieving a turnover number of up to 23 000 and a turnover frequency of 1917 h^-1 . This iron-based catalyst also enabled the formation of GVL from various biomass-derived carbohydrates in aqueous solution, thus paving a new way toward a renewable chemical industry.

Keywords: hydrogenation; iron; levulinic acid; pincer; γ-valerolactone.