Glycerol Ketal Biobased Product Preparation from Biomass-Derived Reactants Using an H-ZSM-5 Catalyst for Oil Color Painting Application

Condensation of glycerol with bioderived carbonyls yields cyclic ketals with unique properties. In this study, efficient solvent-free heterogeneously catalyzed ketalization has been achieved to give the corresponding products in good to excellent yields. Substrate-to-glycerol ratios of 1:1 have been used; the reactions were performed at 120 °C for 30 min. By using an acid-treated H-ZSM-5 catalyst, high selectivity to a five-membered ring was achieved. Furthermore, the catalyst could be recycled up to 4 times without losing activity. The ketal from glycerol and levulinic acid (GLK) was isolated and applied as a solvent in oil color paint and showed advantageous properties over commercial paint solvents in terms of aging.