Conversion of carbohydrates into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and valuable 2-amino-4H-pyran using functionalized carbonaceous material with strong Brønsted acid as an efficient catalyst

Abstract

The conversion of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) into valuable chemicals has attracted significant interest in the petroleum and chemical sectors. In this work, we explored the synthesis of amorphous carbon bearing Brönsted acid sites (AC-SO₃H) as a catalyst for efficient HMF production from carbohydrates. We examined the effects of temperature, solvent, ratio of solvent, catalyst loading and reaction time on HMF yield. Optimal conditions include a temperature of 150 °C, 10 mg of AC-SO₃H as a catalyst, fructose and DMSO/sulfolane (1/1) solvent, achieving approximately 87 % HMF efficiency within 2 h. The AC-SO₃H catalyst exhibits high activity and stability in fructose-to-HMF conversion. The produced HMF is then utilized as a precursor for synthesizing valuable compounds. This research demonstrates the potential of AC-SO₃H catalysts in HMF production and utilization.