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.

Graphical abstractHydrolysis of cellulose catalyzed by methyltrioxorhenium under microwave irradiation in 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chlorideFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide