Enhanced hydrolysis of wood in an acetone and acid aqueous system

Abstract

The effect of acetone on the dilute acid hydrolysis of mixed hardwood cellulose was studied. By using acetone, glucose yields as high as 83·4% were obtained in a bench-scale percolation reactor. Without acetone, traditional glucose yields from wood cellulose in percolation reactors were limited to 65%. Under normal acid hydrolysis conditions when water was used, the main glucose decomposition product was hydroxymethyl-furfural (HMF). When acetone was used, under mild conditions, the main decomposition product was 1,6-anhydroglucose which could be posthydrolyzed into glucose. This suggests that nearly quantitative yields of glucose can be obtained under proper reaction conditions when acetone, acid and water are used.