New approach for bio-jet fuels production by hydrodeoxygenation of higher alcohols derived from C-C coupling of bio-ethanol

A new approach for the synthesis of jet fuel hydrocarbon from bio-ethanol was developed, the integrated catalytic process of ethanol C-C coupling and heavy alcohols hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) was reported. The initial bio-ethanol C-C coupling process was fulfilled directly in aqueous environment over Na/[email protected] catalyst. The obtained high-carbon alcohols can be separated into C4-C7 and C8-C16 alcohols respectively through convenient fractional distillation. The obtained C8-C16 alcohols mainly consist of β-branched primary alcohol, which are desired precursors for jet fuel hydrocarbons. To maintain the branched carbon skeleton in the subsequent alcohol HDO process, the Co-Mo2C catalyst with excellent C-O bonds cleavage and carbon skeleton retention ability were developed. Jet fuel hydrocarbons of 56.7% yield obtained from this approach is mainly C8-C16 branched alkanes, which is beneficial for the cold flow properties. This strategy creates new opportunities for producing alternative jet fuel from the mature bio-ethanol industry.