Conversion of glucose to 5-HMF over solid acid catalyst

Opening wide applications in the production of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, plastics and liquid alkanes

Researchers at the South China University of Technology report on the use of a Zr(H2PO4)2 solid acid catalyst in an isobutanol-water (1.6:1/V:V) two-phase system to convert glucose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), an important green platform chemical with wide applications in the production of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, plastics and liquid alkanes.

Although fructose can be converted to 5-HMF with high yield via acid-catalyzed dehydration, fructose is costly.

“With its low cost and wide supply, the conversion of glucose to HMF has attracted the interests of researchers. For gaining a high 5-HMF yield, the choice of catalysts is very important (Zhuang et al.).”

Zhuang et al. report in their study, published in the journal Advanced Materials Research, an optimized 5-HMF yield of 42.32% within 1.5 hours at 180 °C over Zr(H2PO4)2 with ratio of 1:1; glucose conversion was 94.83%.

Source

Green Car Congress, 2011-05-19.

Supplier

South China University of Technology

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