Biomass Selective Valorization to Useful Feedstocks Under Aqueous Conditions: Involvement in COST Action CM0903

In 2009 we joined a new European COST Action (CM0903: Utilisation of Biomass for Sustainable Fuels and Chemicals (UBIOCHEM)) in the area of 'renewable chemicals'. This Action runs over the period July 2009 to November 2013. In the past 20 months we have developed new contacts have allowed us to define new research in selective biomass catalysis using water-based reaction systems and close links to groups involved in synthetic biology and biotechnology/plant science. In the period July 2011 to November 2013 we are proposing to make investigations using both materials provided by these groups (and models thereof) to attempt to develop new catalytic chemistry aimed at providing C7+ rich hydrocarbon products for facile separation post catalysis. These joint research programmes will be run through exchange of PhD students (funded through COST) while this grant will support the consumables costs of these visiting researchers and some joint planning meetings to be attended by S. Woodward. For these latter two activities no COST mechanism exists to support them.

Alternative routes for, CO2 neutral, hydrocarbon production are of high relevance to humanity's pressing needs for energy and transportation. Unlike 'new' energy options such as hydrogen and electric vehicles, there is no need to develop new infrastructure as existing systems can be used. If efficient methods for biomass conversion to light hydrocarbons can be achieved this would have profound impact on the fuel and commodity chemicals markets. We are targeting the direct and selective production of C7+ alkanes and alkenes in water-based solvents. If this can be achieved there are two significant benefits - (i) product separation is immensely simplified, (ii) any waste stream generated is aqueous-based and environmentally manageable (sterilised). We believe 5 significant impact aims can be attained by our programme, specifically: the training of 8 young European researchers in new techniques, the development of new critical mass research, with improved age demographic, at the chemistry-synthetic biology/biotech interface, to widely publicise knowledge that could lead to future commercial processes, to maximise scientific opportunities for 'spin off' funding and support in future EU programmes, to focus on systems that have potential for commercial operation in the long term.