Gas-phase etherification of cyclopentanol with methanol to cyclopentyl methyl ether catalyzed by zeolites

Symmetric ethers can be synthesized through the acid-catalyzed self-etherification of biomass-derived alcohols. However, synthesis of asymmetric ethers via catalytic cross-etherification of alcohols is limited by poor selectivity. Herein, we developed an efficient zeolite-catalyzed one-step synthesis of valuable asymmetric cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) using gas-phase reaction of bio-based cyclopentanol and methanol. Among different medium- (FER, MCM-22, ZSM-5) and large-pore (BEA, MOR, USY) aluminosilicate zeolites, commercial ZSM-5 catalysts with 2D system of intersecting channels are markedly more selective to CPME. The targeted CPME was produced with a selectivity of 83 % and a yield higher than 80 % over the ZSM-5 catalysts with Si/Al ratios ranging from 15 to 40. Decrease in Si/Al ratio in ZSM-5 enhanced the conversion value, while not affecting the selectivity. FTIR study of the step-by-step adsorption of both reactants in ZSM-5 evidenced the Rideal-Eley mechanism with cyclopentanol adsorbed on acid sites. Therefore, heterogeneously catalyzed gas-phase crossetherification of renewable cyclopentanol and methanol is a promising process for large-scale applications thanks to its mild operating conditions, high yields and selectivity when using commercial ZSM-5 zeolites as catalysts.