Synthesis of biodiesel from cellulose and hemicellulose obtained from ligneous material

本研究的目的是寻找一种突破性的生态技术，利用造纸和林业的可再生自然资源残渣生产生物柴油。与迄今为止使用的针对三酰甘油型脂质（存在于不同类型的植物油中）的技术相反，本文研究的技术将使用碳水化合物型大分子化合物纤维素和半纤维素。由于在上述两种大分子中发现的5碳和6碳碳水化合物的反应性差异，研究两种不同的合成途径将是至关重要的。戊糖，具有5个碳原子的碳水化合物，将在酸水溶液中水解以产生糠醛。随后的氢化将产生糠醇，其将被水解成乙酰丙酸。己糖，具有6个碳原子的碳水化合物，将首先脱水为羟甲基糠醛，羟甲基糠醛将在更苛刻的条件下进一步脱水为乙酰丙酸。在戊糖和己糖途径中，产生的乙酰丙酸将与乙醇或甲醇酯化为生物柴油。所有的合成途径都将由一个分析有机团队密切跟踪。该结构鉴定过程对于该过程的完全优化以及对该过程产生的液体溶液的环境影响研究将是至关重要的。该研究项目还将允许（除了生物柴油的生产）在加拿大的一个非常重要的领域，在未来几年的三个理科硕士学生的培训。

The aim of this research is to find a ground-breaking ecological technique to produce biodiesel using renewable natural resource residues from the paper and forest industries. In opposition to the techniques used until now which target triacylglyceric type lipids (found in different types of vegetable oils), the technique investigated here will be using the carbohydrate-type macromolecular compounds cellulose and hemicellulose. Because of the difference in terms of reactivity for the 5 and 6 carbon carbohydrates found in the two previously stated macromolecules, it will be essential to investigate two different synthetic pathways. The pentoses, carbohydrates with 5 carbon atoms, will be hydrolyzed in an aqueous acid solution to produce furfural. A following hydrogenation will produce furfuryl alcohol which will be hydrolyzed to levulinic acid. The hexoses, carbohydrates with 6 carbon atoms, will be dehydrated first to hydroxymethylfurfural which will be dehydrated further to levulinic acid under more severe conditions. In both the pentose and hexose pathway, the produced levulinic acid will be esterified to biodiesel with ethanol or methnol. All the synthetic pathways will be closely followed by an analytical-organic team. This structure-identification process will be more than crucial for a complete optimization of the process as well as for an environmental impact study of the liquid solutions resulting from the process. This research project will also allow (in addition to the production of biodiesel) the training of three M.Sc students in a very important field in Canada for the years to come.