Supported Metal Nanoparticles as Heterogeneous Catalysts for Transformation of Biomass-Derived Platform Chemicals

The lignocellulosic biomass is envisioned as a potential alternative renewable source to finite fossil fuels to produce chemicals and biofuels/biofuel additives in a sustainable manner. The efficient and economical transformation of lignocellulosic biomass into valued chemicals and biofuels is a great challenge and can be made feasible through a catalytic route. Cellulose and hemicellulose are primary constituents of the lignocellulosic biomass, and an appropriate conversion process leads to the generation of important platform chemicals such as glucose, fructose, furfural, and 5-hydroxymethylfuran (5-HMF). Catalytic valorization of these platform chemicals can produce an array of valued chemicals and biofuels/biofuel additives. Supported transition- and noble-metals-based nanoparticles as catalysts are being examined for transformation of the platform chemicals. The performance of these catalysts depends on the metal-metal and metal- support interactions and properties of supports. The influence of the catalyst properties on activity and selectivity of the desired product are briefly discussed in this chapter. The selective hydrogenation of glucose, fructose, furfural, and 5-HMF to produce d-sorbitol, d-mannitol, furfuryl alcohol, and 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) is considered a model reaction to correlate the catalysts' properties and activity using selected relevant literatures