Efficient Synthesis C12 Biojet Fuel Precursors from Cyclohexanone via Self-Condensation

The synthesis of biojet fuel from lignin-derived bio-oil offers a promising and sustainable pathway to significantly alleviate the energy crisis and mitigate environmental pollution. Herein, we propose a green strategy to achieve the self-condensation of cyclohexanone, a key platform compound derived from lignocellulose, yielding C12 biojet fuel precursors with an outstanding selectivity of up to 97.4% on PdFe/hierarchical-ZSM, primarily 2-cyclohexylidene-cyclohexanone. Unnecessary byproduct production is avoided at the same time. This study highlights the critical role of adjusting and controlling the metal loading and alkali treatment concentration in facilitating this transformation, where the bimetallic synergy, optimized acid sites, and enlarged pore structures introduced through alkali treatment significantly enhance the performance. Our findings not only provide an efficient strategy for the selective conversion of biomass-derived platform compounds but also establish a fundamental basis for carbon growth reactions and the direct synthesis of biojet fuels from lignin oil and other renewable feedstocks, contributing to the sustainable development of green aviation fuels.