Objective The depletion of fossil resources and the requirement to significantly reduce our CO2 footprint made the production of chemicals from non-edible biorenewable feedstocks an intensive contemporary research field. Remarkably, amongst the bioderived chemicals available, bioaromatics are still scarce. A typical feature of biobased platform molecules is their high oxygen content, which is in sharp contrast with current base chemicals obtained via a classical petrochemical approach. While petrochemical industry requires efficient and selective oxidation protocols, biorenewables on the other hand require the reverse, i.e. efficient and selective reduction reactions, necessitating new reaction development. Chemical and (bio)catalytic processes on biorenewable resources (e.g. wood, cloves, gallnuts) deliver a variety of oxygenated arenes (guaiacols, syringols, catechols, pyrogallols). Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reactions on these biobased arene building blocks can give access to functional chemicals suitable for the chemical industry. Though extensively researched, selective HDO on these oxygenated arenes is still poorly developed. Therefore, the main objective of this proposal is to develop selective HDO in catechols, guaiacols, pyrogallols, and syringols. Our approach involves sustainable activation of Ar-OH and Ar- (OH)2 with a renewable and cheap reactant, and subsequent reduction with a renewable reductant. As catalysts readily available and cheap base metals will be explored rather than scarce and expensive precious transition metals. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis will be evaluated. Fields of science natural scienceschemical scienceselectrochemistryelectrolysisnatural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryhydrocarbonsnatural scienceschemical sciencescatalysisagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesforestry Programme(s) HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme Topic(s) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01-01 - MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2021 Call for proposal HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme HORIZON-AG-UN - HORIZON Unit Grant Coordinator UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPEN Net EU contribution € 175 920,00 Address Prinsstraat 13 2000 Antwerpen Belgium See on map Region Vlaams Gewest Prov. Antwerpen Arr. Antwerpen Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
