Catalysts for Green Gasoline Processing

Gasoline is one of the most highly refined products leaving the refinery and consists essentially of hydrocarbons in the C4–C12 range but is dominated by branched-chain hydrocarbons or isoalkanes and aromatics to meet its desired octane rating. Globally, bioethanol and ethers are the most preferred choices today as a renewable biocomponent blend stock for gasoline. However, technical restrictions confine the use of these oxygenates in regular gasoline automobiles, although higher blend ratios are feasible for flexible fuel vehicles. This offers room for innovation in developing sustainable processes for green or renewable gasoline intended to be used as a drop-in fuel. In the last decade, diverse pathways have been increasingly explored to produce green gasoline from renewable feedstocks. The inconsistency in the chemical make-up in terms of the relative share of different fractions in green gasoline is attributable both to the differences in resource feedstocks and to the technology applied in its production. This chapter summarizes the present status of different types of catalysts and processes for producing green gasoline from possible renewable feedstocks.