Synthesis of γ-Valerolactone through coupling of methyl levulinate hydrogenation with aqueous phase reforming of methanol over Pt/CoxAl catalyst

This study proposes an innovative approach to produce GVL by integrating ML hydrogenation with aqueous phase reforming of methanol (APRM) using Pt/CoxAl catalysts, thereby eliminating the need for an external hydrogen source.

The influence of catalyst composition, methanol concentration, and reaction temperature on catalytic performance has been carefully examined. The results suggest that Pt/Co1Al demonstrated exceptional activity, yielding up to 98.2% GVL, and maintaining stable performance over multiple cycles. Characterization results revealed that Pt0 facilitates both APRM and ML hydrogenation, while Brønsted acid sites catalyze the hydrolysis of ML and lactonization of intermediates.