Nicola Scotti

Esterification of Acidic Oils over a Versatile Amorphous Solid Catalyst

An amorphous SiO(2)-ZrO(2) catalyst shows high activity in the esterification of free fatty acids contained in vegetable oils while at the same time promoting the transesterification of triglycerides. The catalyst is hence a good candidate for a low-waste deacidification pretreatment or for a one-pot biodiesel production process starting from oils with a high acid content.

A new Cu-based system for formic acid dehydrogenation

The production of H2 from HCOOH was achieved by using simple Cu compounds and different HCOOH/amine adducts. The activity is strongly dependent on the amine, more basic and bulky ones giving better results whereas the use of chelating amines is detrimental.

Dehydrogenative coupling promoted by copper catalysts: a way to optimise and upgrade bio-alcohols

A process for the one-step transformation of butanol into butyl butyrate has been set up by using a copper/zirconia catalyst. Yields of up to 98% can be obtained at 250 °C by withdrawing the H2 formed. The high activity has been investigated through STEM analysis of the catalyst and FT IR spectroscopy of the substrate adsorbed on the catalyst surface.

The Role of Copper in the Upgrading of Bioalcohols

Some recent results on Guerbet reactions are reported and a short review on dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols (DHC) is presented. The focus of this Minireview is on the role of acidic and basic sites and, in particular, on the role of Cu if it is present in the catalyst, taking into account that the two processes share the first step, namely alcohol dehydrogenation, whereas the second one is determining in driving selectivity towards self‐coupling or symmetrical ester formation. The main type of catalysts for the Guerbet reaction are based on hydrotalcites, hydroxyapatite and supported metal systems, whereas the catalysts for DHC are copper catalysts on different supports. The role of acidic and basic sites in determining activity and selectivity to Guerbet alcohols has been investigated and quite stringent requirements for the selectivity of the reaction have been highlighted. For DHC, we have focused on the role of the interaction of copper with the support, which in turn influences the distribution of acidic and basic sites. The morphology of the metallic phase has been suggested as a distinctive factor in promoting C−C coupling or C−O coupling in the second step for Cu‐containing catalysts.

Catalytic upgrading of lactose: a rest raw material from the dairy industry

Lactose, a residue from the separation of high value-added proteins from whey, was converted into an equimolar mixture of sorbitol and dulcitol through a one-step cascade hydrolysis plus hydrogenation process. The reaction was promoted by an amorphous copper on silica catalyst, highly resistant to water and can also be applied to other disaccharides. The process selectivity can be switched to direct hydrogenation of lactose to lactitol only by changing the solvent.