Catalysis for the Production of Sustainable Chemicals and Fuels from Biomass

Abstract Biomass is a renewable source of energy and chemical that can be utilized in a biorefinery as a replacement for fossil-based chemical and fuel production. On the basis of an extensive review of the published literature, a variety of biomass and biomass-derived molecules, for example, monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides and raw biomass have been explored as feedstock to produce platform chemicals (e.g. furanic aldehydes like 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, furfural and levulinic acid) and its further upgrading into biofuel using suitable catalytic routes. A brief study on homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts with a possible mechanism for lignocellulosic biomass transformation into speciality chemicals has been included in this book chapter. Synthesis of a range of biofuel candidates including 2,5-dimethylfuran, 5-ethoxymethyl furfural and long chain hydrocarbon (C 9 –C 18 ) from biomass has also been discussed.