Catalytic Conversion of Cellulose into Levulinic Acid by a Sulfonated Chloromethyl Polystyrene Solid Acid Catalyst

Abstract A novel solid acid catalyst, sulfonated chloromethyl polystyrene (CP) resin (CP‐SO3H‐1.69), was synthesized by partially substituting chlorine groups (Cl) of CP resin with sulfonic group(SO3H). This new type solid acid contains not only acid sites, but also cellulose‐binding sites (Cl). A high yield of levulinic acid up to 65.5 % was obtained by converting microcrystalline cellulose over CP‐SO3H‐1.69. The high catalytic activity of CP‐SO3H‐1.69 was attributed to high amount of sulfonic group and chlorine on the catalyst, which is essential to keep the catalyst with great affinity to substrate.