Renewable alkanes by aqueous-phase reforming of biomass-derived oxygenates.

A clean stream of alkanes from renewable biomass resources is obtained through aqueous-phase reforming in a single reactor. Alkanes are produced from biomass-derived sorbitol through a bifunctional pathway (see scheme) that involves the dehydration of sorbitol on acid sites (SiO2/Al2O3) and hydrogenation of intermediates on a metal catalyst under a H2 atmosphere. Hydrogen is produced from sorbitol and water on the metal catalyst in the same reactor. G. W. Huber, R. D. Cortright, J. A. Dumesic* 1549 – 1551