Levoglucosan transformation over aluminosilicates

Catalytic transformation of levoglucosan (1-6-anhydro-β-D- glucopyranose) was carried out in the liquid phase in the batch mode, at 20 bar and 150 °C, and in the continuous mode, at 300 °C and at atmospheric pressure over aluminum silicates. Proton forms of Beta-25 zeolite and MCM-48 mesoporous material were tested as catalysts, while quartz sand was used as a reference material in non-catalytic transformation experiments. Levoglucosan conversion varied with residence time and catalyst. A variety of products was detected with HPLC, GC and GC-MS. The yields of the main products, e.g. different oxygenated species (glucose, glycolaldehyde, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acetic acid) varied, as a function of conversion, residence time and zeolite structure.