Acidic Ultrafine Tungsten Oxide Molecular Wires for Cellulosic Biomass Conversion

Zhenxin Zhang; Masahiro Sadakane; Norihito Hiyoshi; Akihiro Yoshida; Michikazu Hara; Wataru Ueda

doi:10.1002/anie.201602770

Acidic Ultrafine Tungsten Oxide Molecular Wires for Cellulosic Biomass Conversion

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2016 Aug 22;55(35):10234-8. doi: 10.1002/anie.201602770. Epub 2016 Aug 2.

Authors

Zhenxin Zhang^{1

2}, Masahiro Sadakane³, Norihito Hiyoshi⁴, Akihiro Yoshida⁵, Michikazu Hara⁶, Wataru Ueda⁷

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Engineering, Kanagawa University, Rokkakubashi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, 221-8686, Japan. [email protected].
² Materials and Structures Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama-city, Kanagawa, 226-8503, Japan. [email protected].
³ Department of Applied Chemistry, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi Hiroshima, 739-8527, Japan.
⁴ Research Institute for Chemical Process Technology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 4-2-1 Nigatake, Miyagino, Sendai, 983-8551, Japan.
⁵ Faculty of Engineering, Kanagawa University, Rokkakubashi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, 221-8686, Japan.
⁶ Materials and Structures Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama-city, Kanagawa, 226-8503, Japan.
⁷ Faculty of Engineering, Kanagawa University, Rokkakubashi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, 221-8686, Japan. [email protected].

PMID: 27482857
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201602770

Abstract

The application of nanocatalysis based on metal oxides for biomass conversion is of considerable interest in fundamental research and practical applications. New acidic transition-metal oxide molecular wires were synthesized for the conversion of cellulosic biomass. The ultrafine molecular wires were constructed by repeating (NH4 )2 [XW6 O21 ] (X=Te or Se) along the length, exhibiting diameters of only 1.2 nm. The nanowires dispersed in water and were observed using high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy. Acid sites were created by calcination without collapse of the molecular wire structure. The acidic molecular wire exhibited high activity and stability and promoted the hydrolysis of the glycosidic bond. Various biomasses including cellulose were able to be converted to hexoses as main products.

Keywords: cellulosic biomass; hexose; hydrolysis; molecular wires; tungsten oxide.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't