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Title: Continuous flow processes for the catalytic, one-pot production of 5-methyl-2-pyrrolidone derivatives from biomass feedstocks as sustainable alternative to NMP.

Principal Investigator at ICCOM: María Carmen Moreno Marrodán

Project Type: National

Duration: 05/2018-11/2018

Abstract: 5-Methyl-2-pyrrolidones (5MP) are proposed as non-toxic alternative to NMP. A sustainable approach to the synthesis of 5MPs and its derivatives will be pursued, based on the one-pot reductive ammination of bio-derived levulinates over bifunctional heterogeneous catalysts, under continuous flow conditions and in the liquid phase, using molecular hydrogen as clean reducing agent. Innovative catalysts will be engineered to this purpose, comprising metal nanoparticles immobilised onto unconventional, hierarchically meso-macroporous solid acid supports. Highly efficient, hydrogenation metals will be chosen among Ru, Pd, Pt, Ir, and Au, while a variety of water-tolerant solid acids will be the preferred materials, including titania, niobia, sulfonated silica, niobium phosphate, so as to result in a modular and versatile catalytic system compliant with the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry.

ICCOM Participants: Pierluigi Barbaro, Francesca Liguori, María Carmen Moreno Marrodán.