Status: Graduated August, 2008 (Ph.D.)
Research Area :A major scientific interest in developing new technologies for the conversion of renewable resources into sustainable energy and chemical materials exists due to environmental, political, and economic concernsassociated with our dependence on petroleum. In this respect, lignocellulosic biomass plays an important role, as it is currently the only renewable source of carbon with the potential to supply a significant fraction of the energy and chemical intermediates (e.g. alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters) needed for the world economy.
My research involves studying the catalytic conversion of biomass-derived carbohydrates into chemical platforms for the production of fuels and chemicals intermediates. For example, we have studied the acid catalyzed dehydration of hexoses and pentoses to produce furan derivates such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural, which have been described as key substances that bridge carbohydrate chemistry and petroleum-based industrial chemistry because of the wide range of chemical intermediates and end-products that can be produced from these compounds.
Undergraduate Studies: University of Pennsylvania
Publications:
Roman-Leshkov Yuriy; Barrett Christopher J; Liu Zhen Y; Dumesic James A Production of dimethylfuran for liquid fuels from biomass-derived carbohydrates. Nature (2007), 447(7147), 982-5.
Chheda, Juben N.; Roman-Leshkov, Yuriy; Dumesic, James A.. Production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural by dehydration of biomass-derived mono- and poly-saccharides. Green Chemistry (2007), 9(4), 342-350.
Roman-Leshkov Yuriy; Chheda Juben N; Dumesic James A Phase modifiers promote efficient production of hydroxymethylfurfural from fructose. Science (New York, N.Y.) (2006), 312(5782), 1933-7.
