Liquid transportation fuels from biomass-derived oxygenates: Gas-phase 2-hexanol upgrading on Cu-based mixed oxides

- Bifunctional Cu-Mg-Al(Ce) catalysts promote 2-hexanol upgrading to liquid fuels.
- Upgrading occurs by dehydrogenation, CC coupling, dehydration and hydrogenation reactions.
- Hydrogenation is the rate-limiting step on strongly basic catalysts.
- Copper promotes hydro/dehydrogenation whereas acid-base pairs catalyze CC coupling.
- Yield to branched C9-C24 oxygenates and hydrocarbons reaches 91% on Cu(8%)MgAl.