Supercritical MeOH and MeOH−H 2 O (90/10) mixtures were used as reaction media for one-pot dissolution−conversion of microcrystalline cellulose. In the absence of catalyst, the cellulose dissolution was almost complete under supercritical conditions (300 °C/10 MPa/1 min) but relative low amounts of value-added chemicals were obtained. Addition of solid acid catalysts such as Cs x H 3− x PW 12 O 40 or sulfated zirconia led in the same conditions to formation of valuable methyl-levulinate in remarkable yields close to 20%.
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Rataboul et al. (2010) studied this question.