Shell Biorefinery: Mixed Biofuel Production from Chitin

Bioenergy is a key strategy for sustainability, yet the potential for biofuel production from chitin is under-exploited. Here, we report the cleavage of the inherently inert σ-type C-C bonds in chitin under the condition of initially breaking the unstable C-O bonds. Mechanistic studies indicate that by regulating the valence state of Ru and the interaction between RuOx and AC-HNO3-melamine, the ability of Ru nanoparticles to cleave C-C and C-O bonds can be controlled. One-pot sequential hydrogenolysis of chitin with RuOx/AC-HNO3-melamine resulted in a mixed alcohol yield 1.66 times that of commercial Ru/C. A mixed alcohol yield of 16.8% was achieved using raw chitin and green process conditions. We expanded the substrate range to include chitosan, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, and glucosamine. This work demonstrates the potential of marine biomass to produce affordable clean energy.