Catalytic transfer hydrogenation of biomass-derived levulinic acid to γ-valerolactone over Sn/Al-SBA-15 catalysts

The synthesized inexpensive catalysts show high catalytic transfer hydrogenation activity at ambient N₂ pressure under non-corrosive conditions. The Sn/Al-SBA-15 (25) catalyst exhibited the highest catalytic activity with 99% conversion of levulinic acid and 100% selectivity towards GVL.