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Updated: Mar 2, 2026
Fractionation of Lignocellulosic Biomass using the OrganoCat Process
Published on: June 5, 2021
Alcoholysis: A Promising Technology for Conversion of Lignocellulose and Platform Chemicals
Shanhui Zhu1, Jing Guo1,2, Xun Wang3
1State Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan, 030001, P.R. China.
Abstract:
In the catalytic conversion of lignocellulose to valuable products, the first entry point is to break down these biopolymers to sugar units or aromatic monomers, which is conventionally achieved by hydrolysis in water medium. Recent years have seen tremendous progress in the alcoholysis process, which has remarkable advantages, such as the avoidance of treating waste water, suppression of humins or chars, and enhancement of reaction rate and product yield. Advances have been focused on the alcoholysis of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin to alkyl glucosides, xylosides, and aromatic monomers, respectively. Alcoholysis of the platform molecule furfuryl alcohol (FAL) to alkyl levulinate (AL) and integrated alcoholysis of cellulose and furfural into AL are also summarized. This Minireview highlights the comparisons between alcoholysis and hydrolysis, the reaction mechanism of alcoholysis, and future challenges for industrial applications.
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