Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• • Lignocellulosic biomass annual production exceeds 180 billion tons, underscoring its potential as a renewable carbon feedstock for aldehyde and ketone synthesis via catalytic pyrolysis. • • Catalytic systems (metal salts, metal oxides, carbon-based) regulate key reactions—dehydration, decarbonylation, C−O/C−C bond cleavage, and skeletal rearrangement—to steer selectivity toward target carbonyls. • • Multicomponent synergistic effects among cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin significantly influence aldehyde/ketone yields, necessitating feedstock-specific catalyst design. • • Persistent challenges include unclear structure-activity relationships, inadequate active site stability, and limited product selectivity, which require advanced in situ characterization and multiscale simulation to overcome.
Abstract
Aldehydes and ketones are valuable oxygen-containing organic intermediates essential for synthesizing fine chemicals, fuels, and materials. Lignocellulosic biomass, as the most abundant renewable carbon resource with an annual production exceeding 180 billion tons, offers a sustainable route to produce platform carbonyl compounds such as furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and low-molecular-weight aliphatic ketones via pyrolysis. This review systematically summarizes recent progress in catalytic pyrolysis of biomass for aldehyde and ketone production. It first outlines the structural features, types, and biomass-derived origins of typical carbonyl platform molecules. Second, it compares the decomposition pathways and intermediate evolution behaviors of cellulose-rich, hemicellulose-rich, and lignin-rich biomasses under non-catalytic pyrolysis, clarifying the influence of multicomponent synergistic effects on aldehyde and ketone formation. Particular emphasis is placed on the mechanistic roles and dominant reaction pathways of metal salts, metal oxides, and carbon-based catalytic systems in regulating key steps such as dehydration, decarbonylation, C−O/C−C bond cleavage, and skeletal rearrangement. The review identifies major challenges, including unclear catalyst structure-activity relationships, inadequate active site stability, and limited product selectivity. Future perspectives propose rational design of multilevel structured catalysts, integration of in situ characterization with multiscale simulation, and development of green scale-up and process integration strategies. This work aims to provide a systematic theoretical reference for high-value biomass utilization and renewable carbon conversion.
1. Introduction
The global energy landscape is strained by fossil resource depletion and environmental degradation, driving urgent demand for renewable carbon sources. Lignocellulosic biomass, with an annual production exceeding 180 billion tons, emerges as a critical feedstock for biofuels and high-value chemicals. Among biomass-derived products, aldehydes and ketones such as furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) exhibit high chemical reactivity and molecular tunability, serving as key platform molecules that bridge biomass resources and liquid fuels or fine chemicals. However, conventional pyrolysis without catalysts suffers from low selectivity and complex product distributions, limiting economic viability.
Catalytic pyrolysis offers a targeted approach to enhance aldehyde and ketone yields by employing metal salts, metal oxides, and carbon-based catalysts to control reaction pathways. These catalysts facilitate dehydration, decarbonylation, and bond cleavage steps, yet their structure-activity relationships remain poorly understood, and active site stability under pyrolysis conditions is often inadequate. This review systematically addresses these bottlenecks by comparing decomposition behaviors of biomass components, elucidating catalytic mechanisms, and proposing future directions for rational catalyst design and process integration, aiming to enable efficient and selective conversion of renewable carbon into valuable carbonyl compounds.
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WANG Hengwei, QIU Li, GE Zefeng, YUAN Xinhua, HUANG Pu, CUI Dongxu, LI Jinjin, CHEN Dengyu (2026). Research Progress on Catalytic Pyrolysis of Biomass for Aldehyde and Ketone Production. Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1872-5813(26)60650-0
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the primary technical bottlenecks in achieving high selectivity for aldehydes and ketones during catalytic pyrolysis of biomass?
The review identifies unclear catalyst structure-activity relationships, inadequate active site stability, and limited product selectivity as major challenges. These arise from complex biomass composition and competing reaction pathways, necessitating advanced catalyst design and in situ characterization to control selectivity.
How do different biomass components (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin) influence the formation of aldehydes and ketones under non-catalytic pyrolysis?
Cellulose-rich, hemicellulose-rich, and lignin-rich biomasses exhibit distinct decomposition pathways and intermediate evolution behaviors. Multicomponent synergistic effects significantly affect aldehyde and ketone yields, requiring feedstock-specific pyrolysis conditions and catalyst selection to optimize production.
What catalytic systems are most effective for regulating key reaction steps like dehydration and decarbonylation?
Metal salts, metal oxides, and carbon-based catalysts are highlighted for their roles in dehydration, decarbonylation, C−O/C−C bond cleavage, and skeletal rearrangement. The review emphasizes mechanistic understanding of these catalysts to enhance selectivity toward target carbonyl compounds.
What future research directions are proposed to overcome current limitations in biomass catalytic pyrolysis?
Future perspectives include rational design of multilevel structured catalysts, integration of in situ characterization with multiscale simulation to elucidate reaction mechanisms, and development of green scale-up and process integration strategies to improve efficiency and controllability.
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