Efficient Production of Ethyl Levulinate from Furfuryl Alcohol Catalyzed by Modified Zirconium Phosphate

The catalytic activities of various solid acid catalysts were investigated via the reaction of the direct alcoholysis from furfuryl alcohol to ethyl levulinate. The modified zirconium phosphate with sulfuric acid, prepared via a sol-gel method, exhibited excellent catalytic performance. By controlling the S/Zr mole ratio of 0.5 at the catalyst preparation, the modified zirconium phosphate catalyst obtained catalytic activity of 97.8% EL yield and 100% FA conversion. The mechanism of enhancing catalytic activity of modified zirconium phosphate was investigated. Owing to the higher specific surface area and more Lewis and Bronsted acid sites, the modified zirconium phosphate catalyst displayed higher catalytic activity in comparison to unmodified zirconium phosphate. In addition, the modified zirconium phosphate catalyst was suitable for a broad temperature range. This modification method can provide a new way to enhance Lewis and Bronsted acidity of zirconium phosphate by adjusting S/Zr ratio rather than the P/Zr ratio.