Catalytic Valorization of Cellulose and Cellobiose with Nanoparticles

Cellulose considered as one of the most abundant renewable resources have great potential for the production of bio-fuels and chemical building blocks bearing a diverse range of applications. Among various approaches for the efficient transformation of cellulose, nanoparticles on ordered porous materials with high surface area and unique particle morphology employed as heterogeneous catalysts exhibit dramatic improvement of catalytic activity and selectivity. In this review, selective conversion of cellulose as well as cellobiose through different types of reactions including hydrolysis, isomerization, dehydration, hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis, oxidation, hydrogenation-dehydration, and gasification/pyrolysis promoted by mono- or bi-functional nanocatalysts has been described. Emphasis is also paid to discuss plausible reaction pathways catalyzed by functionalized nanoparticles in these catalytic processes.