Universal kinetic solvent effects in acid-catalyzed reactions of biomass-derived oxygenates

Walker, TW; Chew, AK; Li, H; Demir, B; Zhang, ZC; Huber, GW; Van Lehn, RC; Dumesic, JA

HERO ID

5078621

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

2018

Language

English

HERO ID 5078621
In Press No
Year 2018
Title Universal kinetic solvent effects in acid-catalyzed reactions of biomass-derived oxygenates
Authors Walker, TW; Chew, AK; Li, H; Demir, B; Zhang, ZC; Huber, GW; Van Lehn, RC; Dumesic, JA
Journal Energy and Environmental Science
Volume 11
Issue 3
Page Numbers 617-628
Abstract The rates of Brønsted-acid-catalyzed reactions of ethyl tert-butyl ether, tert-butanol, levoglucosan, 1,2-propanediol, fructose, cellobiose, and xylitol were measured in solvent mixtures of water with three polar aprotic cosolvents: γ-valerolactone; 1,4-dioxane; and tetrahydrofuran. As the water content of the solvent environment decreases, reactants with more hydroxyl groups have higher catalytic turnover rates for both hydrolysis and dehydration reactions. We present classical molecular dynamics simulations to explain these solvent effects in terms of three simulation-derived observables: (1) the extent of water enrichment in the local solvent domain of the reactant; (2) the average hydrogen bonding lifetime between water molecules and the reactant; and (3) the fraction of the reactant accessible surface area occupied by hydroxyl groups, all as a function of solvent composition. We develop a model, constituted by linear combinations of these three observables, that predicts experimentally determined rate constants as a function of solvent composition for the entire set of acid-catalyzed reactions.
Doi 10.1039/c7ee03432f
Wosid WOS:000428184700012
Url http://xlink.rsc.org/?DOI=C7EE03432F
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Is Public Yes
Language Text English
Keyword Environmental Studies; Butanol; Dehydration; Tetrahydrofuran; Chemical reactions; Water chemistry; Xylitol; Fructose; Catalysis; Rate constants; Moisture content; Levoglucosan; Bonding; Hydrogen bonding; Chemical bonds; Computer simulation; Water content; Cellobiose; Tert-butanol; Solvents; Molecular dynamics; Hydroxyl groups; Solvent effect