The transformation of organic compounds into all kind of industrial products can also be done using chemical catalysts. Chemical catalysis uses an added — but not consumed — sub­stance to augment a chemical reaction. Catalytic conversion will be a primary tool for indus­try to produce valuable fuels, chemicals, and materials from biomass platform chemicals.

Catalytic conversion of biomass is best developed for producing synthesis gas, or syngas. In addition, research is being performed on the use of chemocatalysis for the production of biofuels out of lignocellulosic biomass. Heterogeneous catalysis offers potential to selec­tively convert lignocellulosic biomass into various useful chemicals; this methodology has progressed rapidly in the last several years [42]. Promising technologies are ‘Aqueous Phase Reforming’ for the production of liquid alkanes or hydrogen from biomass-derived sugars, as developed by Virent Energy Systems (www. virent. com). Different approaches and strate­gies are also available for catalytic lignin valorization. Generally, lignin reduction catalytic systems produce bulk chemicals with reduced functionality, whereas lignin oxidation cata­lytic systems produce fine chemicals with increased functionality [43]. Chemical catalysis further offers a large variety of possibilities to upgrade sugars: sugars can be hydrogenated to C5-C6 polyols (or sugar alcohols) such as xylitol, mannitol and sorbitol, hydrogenolysed to C2-C3 glycols, or further upgraded via oxidation or halogenation reactions [44-46]. Catalysts are also involved in liquefaction, fast pyrolysis and gasification to convert lignocellulosic biomass into value-added fine chemicals and biohydrocarbon fuels [47].