Process for converting cellulosic materials to hydrocarbon products

Abstract

Cellulosic materials are converted to hydrocarbons by hydrolyzing cellulosic materials to produce a mixture of fermentable sugars and unfermentable furfural, fermenting the mixture to obtain a fermented mixture containing fermented product and unfermented furfural and contacting the fermented mixture with a highly siliceous crystalline zeolite catalyst under conditions of temperature and pressure to convert the fermented mixture to a hydrocarbon-containing product. Preferably, an oxygenated organic compound such as methanol, ethanol or dimethylether is mixed with the fermented mixture prior to contact with the catalyst.