Al-SBA-15 catalysed cross-esterification and acetalisation of biomass-derived platform chemicals

Al-SBA-15 exhibited excellent catalytic activities in acid-catalysed glycerol transformation including esterification and acetalisation reactions. Quantitative conversion and good selectivities to mono- and diacetylglycerides could be obtained in the esterification of glycerol with levulinic acid. The catalyst also proved to be very effective in the acetalisation of glycerol with aldehydes and acetone, with an interesting selectivity switch from the 6-membered acetal (using paraformaldehyde as an aldehyde source) to a 5-membered acetal (when benzaldehyde or furfural was employed). Al-SBA-15 materials were also proved to be highly stable and reusable in most glycerol transformations under the investigated reaction conditions.