An Overview of Heterogeneous Catalysts Based on Hypercrosslinked Polystyrene for the Synthesis and Transformation of Platform Chemicals Derived from Biomass.

Platform chemicals, also known as chemical building blocks, are substances that serve as starting materials for the synthesis of various value-added products, which find a wide range of applications. These chemicals are the key ingredients for many fine and specialty chemicals. Most of the transformations of platform chemicals are catalytic processes, which should meet the requirements of sustainable chemistry: to be not toxic for humans, to be safe for the environment, and to allow multiple reuses of catalytic materials.

Cellulose Conversion Into Hexitols and Glycols in Water: Recent Advances in Catalyst Development.

Conversion of biomass cellulose to value-added chemicals and fuels is one of the most important advances of green chemistry stimulated by needs of industry. Here we discuss modern trends in the development of catalysts for two processes of cellulose conversion: (i) hydrolytic hydrogenation with the formation of hexitols and (ii) hydrogenolysis, leading to glycols. The promising strategies include the use of subcritical water which facilitates hydrolysis, bifunctional catalysts which catalyze not only hydrogenation, but also hydrolysis, retro-aldol condensation, and isomerization, and pretreatment (milling) of cellulose together with catalysts to allow an intimate contact between the reaction components.