Effective Production of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural from Fructose over a Highly Active Sulfonic Acid Functionalized SBA-15 Catalyst

Abstract

Utilizing sugar compounds (such as fructose) as feedstock for conversion to HMF is very appealing, because it makes the production processes sustainable and improves the economic viability of platform molecules derived from biomass. Here, SBA-15 with sulfonic acid functionalization was created as a heterogeneous base catalyst for fructose hydrolysis reactions to create significant platform chemicals. A fructose conversion rate as high as 100%, along with a 78.7% yield of HMF, were obtained in DMSO at 130 °C after 1 h. The excellent catalytic performance of SBA-15-SO3H in fructose hydrolysis reactions was confirmed by the activation energy’s low value (56.99 kJ/mol). The mild conditions, fast rate of reaction, and simple operation are worth mentioning for other catalysts. SBA-15-SO3H has the potential to promote fructose conversion at lower temperatures.