Zirconium Oxide Supported Palladium Nanoparticles as a Highly Efficient Catalyst in the Hydrogenation–Amination of Levulinic Acid to Pyrrolidones

Abstract The selective hydrogenation–amination of levulinic acid into pyrrolidones is regarded as one of the most important reactions to transform biomass‐derived lignocellulose feedstocks into valuable chemicals. Here we report on ZrO 2 ‐supported Pd nanoparticles as a highly active, chemoselective, and reusable catalyst for the hydrogenation–amination of levulinic acid with H 2 and various amines under mild reaction conditions. The Pd/ZrO 2 catalyst exhibited a marked increase in activity compared with conventional Pd catalysts and a significant enhancement in pyrrolidone selectivity. The excellent catalytic performances are reasonably attributed to the ZrO 2 support, which has strong Lewis acidity to enhance the hydrogenation–amination reaction and hinder side reactions.