The Key Role of Textural Properties of Aluminosilicates in the Acid‐Catalysed Dehydration of Glucose into 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural

Abstract

AbstractThree protonated zeolites (H‐ZSM‐5, H‐Y and H‐Beta) were prepared and tested in the catalytic dehydration of glucose into 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). The catalytic results are compared with those obtained with a mesoporous MCM‐41‐type aluminosilicate, in order to assess the influence of textural and acid properties on the catalytic performance. The dehydration process was carried out in a biphasic water/methyl‐isobutyl ketone (MIBK) system, and the positive effect of NaCl addition (20 wt. %) on both HMF selectivity and yield was observed. Using the H‐Beta zeolite in a NaCl aqueous solution/MIBK, at 195 °C, the best catalytic results were obtained, with a HMF yield of 56%, close to that obtained with 10Al‐MCM‐41 (63%), after only 30 min of reaction time; whereas HMF yields rose only up to 42% using H‐ZSM‐5 and H‐Y. This fact demonstrates the positive effect of mesoporosity to favour the dehydration of glucose to HMF. The reutilisation of these catalysts was also examined.