Efficient 5-HMF production from Glucose and Fructose by using solid acid super catalyst

Abstract

The glucose and fructose conversion into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is an essential step in biomass valorisation, offering a sustainable pathway to bio-based compounds. In this study, a single-phase and biphasic catalytic system was explored for processing diverse feedstock molecules to produce 5-HMF. Through extensive catalyst screening, it was determined that solid acid catalyst, MCM-41-type material like Al-MCM-41 (Si/Al = 100), exhibit the highest efficiency for this conversion. Optimized reaction conditions, including catalyst loading (20–30 wt% of the substrate), water-to-substrate ratio (25–30), and reaction parameters (160–170°C for 6–12 hours), resulted in crude 5-HMF yields of 40–50 mol%. After purification using NaHCO₃ to remove acids, the pure 5-HMF yield was 20–25 mol%. Despite these promising results, significant challenges remain, including the complex analysis and isolation processes and the inherent instability of 5-HMF, which leads to secondary by-products such as organic acids. These findings underscore the potential of MCM-41-based catalyst for effective 5-HMF production while highlighting the need for improved separation and stabilization strategies.