Synthesis of Ethyl Levulinate from Levulinic Acid over Solid Super Acid Catalyst

In this study, 40 % H3PW12O40/ZrO2 catalyst was synthesized, characterized and tested for conversion of levulinic acid (LA) and ethanol (EtOH) to ethyl levulinate (EL). The catalyst was prepared through wet-impregnation method. Catalyst characterization using BET and NH3-TPD revealed that the catalytic performance was dominantly influenced by the acid sites and surface area of the catalyst. The perfomance of the catalyst was tested based on reaction time (30 min to 4 h) and reaction temperature (120 degrees C to 160 degrees C) with 1:5 levulinic acid to ethanol ratio. The 40 % H3PW12O40/ZrO2 catalyst exhibited high catalytic performance at 150 degrees C with time taken 3 h for 99 % yield of ethyl levulinate.