Hydrolysis of cellulose in 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride catalyzed by methyltrioxorhenium

• Methyltrioxorhenium (MTO) is for the first time applied as catalyst to promote the cellulose hydrolysis in ionic liquid.
• MTO displays good catalytic performance for cellulose hydrolysis.
• The nucleophilic attack of O atom of β-1,4-glycosidic bond to Re atom of MTO leads to the broken of β-1,4-glycosidic bond.

Methyltrioxorhenium (MTO) has been applied as catalyst to promote cellulose hydrolysis by using the ionic liquid 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Amim]Cl) as solvent. When using 7 mol% of MTO, 70 μL of water, ca. 0.6 mmol of microcrystalline cellulose and 2.0 g of [Amim]Cl under microwave irradiation for 30 min at 150 °C, 51.2% of total reducing sugar (TRS) and 24.7% of glucose yield can be obtained. The nucleophilic attack of electron-rich O atom of β-1,4-glycosidic bond to electron-poor Re atom of MTO, leading to the broken of β-1,4-glycosidic bond, is assumed to be crucial for cellulose degradation.

Hydrolysis of cellulose catalyzed by methyltrioxorhenium under microwave irradiation in 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chlorideFigure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide