Hydrogen‐Economic Synthesis of Gasoline‐like Hydrocarbons by Catalytic Hydrodecarboxylation of the Biomass‐derived Angelica Lactone Dimer

The biomass‐derived platform molecule levulinic acid is converted into the angelica lactone dimer (ALD) in high overall yield using simple inorganic catalysts. Hydrodecarboxylation of ALD using a Pd/γ‐Al 2 O 3 catalyst under moderate hydrogen gas pressure at high temperatures generates branched C 8 –C 9 hydrocarbons in nearly quantitative yield consuming as little as a single equivalent of external hydrogen. These molecules are high‐octane “drop‐in” equivalents of isoalkanes used in commercial gasoline. Catalytic hydrodecarboxylation is presented as a highly effective means to reduce hydrogen demand in biomass‐to‐biofuel conversion technologies.