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Halloysite-Catalyzed Esterification of Bio-Mass Derived Acids
Jumanah Hamdi1, Brooke N Diehl1, Kaylin Kilgore1
1Department of Chemistry and Advanced Materials Research Institute, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148 United States.
Abstract:
Halloysite, a natural clay with a hollow tubular structure, was studied as a catalyst for the esterification of biomass-derived carboxylic acids (levulinic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, and succinic acid) with four different alcohols (MeOH, EtOH, n-PrOH, and n-BuOH). Reaction conditions were optimized (10 mol % halloysite, 170 °C, 24 h) and gave high yields of the corresponding esters and diesters (>90%). The halloysite was easily recovered and recycled after washing and drying.
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