Bifunctional Cr3+ modified ion exchange resins as efficient reusable catalysts for the production and isolation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from glucose?

RSC Advances Pub Date: 2016-12-07 DOI: 10.1039/C6RA22539J

Abstract

Cr3+ modified readily available cation exchange resins were prepared and explored as heterogeneous bifunctional catalysts for the dehydration of glucose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in tetraethyl ammonium bromide (TEAB)/water as reaction medium. Excellent HMF isolated yields of up to 70% were achieved using simple crystallization of the reaction medium (TEAB) from ethyl acetate/ethanol which allowed the isolation of HMF in high purity. The best identified catalyst (Amberlyst 15/Cr3+) exhibited high activity over 4 cycles. The loss of activity was attributed to the decreased number of acidic sites of the catalyst, thus a simple treatment of the catalyst with 10% HCl efficiently restored its activity in the following cycles.

Graphical abstract: Bifunctional Cr3+ modified ion exchange resins as efficient reusable catalysts for the production and isolation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from glucose
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