Selective Catalytic Dehydration of Xylose to Furfural and Fructose and Glucose to 5‐Hydroximethylfurfural (HMF) Using Preyssler Heteropolyacid
Oscar Pardo, Gustavo P. Romanelli, Jairo Cubillos, Hugo Rojas, José J. Martínez
Abstract
Abstract Catalytic dehydration of xylose to yield furfural was studied by testing different heteropolyacid‐type catalysts. Preyssler heteropolyacid (HPA‐Preyssler) (H 14 [NaP 5 W 30 O 110 ]) was the most efficient. Under the optimal reaction conditions, xylose was dehydrated into furfural with 73% of yield and 95% of selectivity using DMSO as solvent at 140 °C for 4 h. The HPA‐Preyssler catalyst also exhibited good catalytic activity in the dehydration of fructose and glucose to yield 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). Thus, from fructose a yield and selectivity to HMF of 97% and 98%, respectively, was obtained in just 10 min, while from glucose, 91% of conversion and 23% of yield were obtained after 9 h. An easy and efficient methodology for the recovery and reuse of HPA‐Preyssler in at least six reaction cycles without appreciable loss of its initial catalytic activity is reported.