The group’s interest lies in the study of reactions that allow obtaining substances of high added value from raw materials derived directly from biomass. Products that can be useful as biofuels (for example, alkyl levulinates) or as an integral part of bioplastics (for example, cellulose esters) are of special interest. The short-term interest is to study reactions that from mono and disaccharides lead to obtaining, among others, levulinic acid, alkyl levulinates, sorbitol, isosorbide and other similar substances.
The group has specialized in the study of catalytic reactions at moderate pressure and temperature, working extensively with solid acid catalysts, in particular with acid ion exchange resins, a field in which he is a reference group. Recently the group has started working with the preparation of metal catalysts supported in acid resins for the study of hydrogenation reactions in which some of the substances mentioned above participate.
In the study of reactions, the group seeks answers to relevant questions such as the selection of the best catalyst under given reaction conditions, as well as the determination of thermodynamics and kinetics. Obtaining correlations between the activity of the catalysts and their properties is, finally, one of the main axes of the research group.