Biphasic catalytic conversion of fructose by continuous hydrogenation of HMF over a hydrophobic ruthenium catalyst

ChemSusChem. 2014 May;7(5):1352-6. doi: 10.1002/cssc.201301270. Epub 2014 Mar 18.

Abstract

The production of chemicals directly from sugars is an important step in biomass conversion. Herein, tetrahydro-2,5-furandimethanol (THFDM), obtained from fructose, is formed by using a combination of acid and hydrophobic Ru/SiO2 in a water/cyclohexane biphasic system. Two key factors enable the high selectivity towards THFDM: modifying the hydrogenation catalyst so that it has hydrophobic properties, and the continuous hydrogenation of generated 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural in the cyclohexane phase. Moreover, the selectivity towards THFDM is found to depend strongly on the acid catalyst used.

Keywords: catalysis; fructose; hydrogenation; hydrophobic; tetrahydro-2,5-furandimethanol.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biofuels*
  • Catalysis
  • Cyclohexanes / chemistry
  • Fructose / chemistry*
  • Furaldehyde / analogs & derivatives*
  • Furaldehyde / chemistry
  • Green Chemistry Technology
  • Hydrogenation
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Molecular Structure
  • Ruthenium / chemistry*
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • Surface Properties
  • Water / chemistry

Substances

  • Biofuels
  • Cyclohexanes
  • Water
  • Fructose
  • Cyclohexane
  • 5-hydroxymethylfurfural
  • Ruthenium
  • Furaldehyde