Metal Chlorides in Ionic Liquid Solvents Convert Sugars to 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 316; no. 5831; pp. 1597 - 1600
• Main Authors: Zhao, Haibo, Holladay, Johnathan E, Brown, Heather, Zhang, Z. Conrad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: WASHINGTON American Association for the Advancement of Science 15.06.2007; Amer Assoc Advancement Science; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Biomass; Carbohydrates; Catalysis; Catalysts; Chemistry; Chlorides; Chromium; Conversion; Dehydration; Exact sciences and technology; feedstocks; fructose; General and physical chemistry; glucose; Halides; hydroxymethylfurfural; Ionic liquids; Isomerization; levulinic acid; Lewis acids; Metal halides; Multidisciplinary Sciences; petroleum; Science & Technology; Science & Technology - Other Topics; Solvents; Sugar; Sugars; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; CATALYSIS; ACID; MECHANISM; GLUCOSE; DEHYDRATION; BIOMASS; DECOMPOSITION; D-FRUCTOSE; WATER; Solvent effect; Ose; Catalytic reaction; Ketose; Transition metal Compounds; Glucose; Dehydration; Fructose; Ionic liquid; Chromium Chlorides; Stereoselectivity; Homogeneous catalysis; Carbohydrate; Chemical reactivity
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1141199

Replacing petroleum feedstocks by biomass requires efficient methods to convert carbohydrates to a variety of chemical compounds. We report the catalytic conversion of sugars giving high yield to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a versatile intermediate. Metal halides in 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride are catalysts, among which chromium (II) chloride is found to be uniquely effective, leading to the conversion of glucose to HMF with a yield near 70%. A wide range of metal halides is found to catalyze the conversion of fructose to HMF. Only a negligible amount of levulinic acid is formed in these reactions.