Synthesis of 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural in ionic liquids: paving the way to renewable chemicals

Direct Conversion of Mono- and Polysaccharides into 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Using Ionic-Liquid Mixtures

Platform chemicals are usually derived from petrochemical feedstocks. A sustainable alternative commences with lignocellulosic biomass, a renewable feedstock, but one that is highly challenging to process. Ionic liquids (ILs) are able to solubilize biomass and, in the presence of catalysts, convert the biomass into useful platform chemicals. Herein, we demonstrate that mixtures of ILs are powerful systems for the selective catalytic transformation of cellulose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). Combining ILs with continuous HMF extraction into methyl-isobutyl ketone or 1,2-dimethoxyethane, which form a biphase with the IL mixture, allows the online separation of HMF in high yield. This one-step process is operated under relatively mild conditions and represents a significant step forward towards sustainable HMF production.

Biomass into chemicals: green chemical conversion of carbohydrates into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in ionic liquids

Biomass is one of the few resources that have the potential to meet the challenges of sustainable and green energy systems.

Efficient conversion of glucose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural using bifunctional partially hydroxylated AlF3

Mesoporous AlF₃ material bearing both Lewis and Brønsted acid sites exhibits high catalytic performance in glucose-to-fructose isomerization and subsequent dehydration to HMF (57.3% yield).

Comparison of glucose conversion to 5-HMF using different modified mordenites in ionic liquid and biphasic media

Modified mordenites have been used in the direct conversion of glucose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) in two different media: the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([BMIM]Br) and a biphasic system composed of water–acetone and ethyl acetate.

Photo-induced reduction of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural using graphitic carbon nitride supported metal catalysts

Photo-induced reduction of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural was achieved by using graphitic carbon nitride-supported transition metal catalysts.

Preparation and preliminary application of 5-HMF@SiO2 micro-particles

We report an organic–inorganic hybrid composite of surface-modified silica gel with 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, which provided a new promising stationary phase for protein separation.

Solvent effects in catalysis: rational improvements of catalysts via manipulation of solvent interactions

The interactions of solvents with catalysts, substrates and products all influence the rate and selectivity of reactions and should be considered to ensure a reaction is run under optimum conditions.

Catalytic conversion of cellulose to C2–C3glycols by dual association of a homogeneous metallic salt and a perovskite-supported platinum catalyst

Dual combinations of homogeneous metallic salts and heterogeneous platinum catalysts were explored for the conversion of cellulose to C₂–C₃glycols.

Novel Ordered Mesoporous Carbon Based Sulfonic Acid as an Efficient Catalyst in the Selective Dehydration of Fructose into 5-HMF: the Role of Solvent and Surface Chemistry

Novel ionic liquid derived ordered mesoporous carbons functionalized with sulfonic acid groups IOMC-ArSO3H and GIOMC-ArSO3H were prepared, characterized, and examined in the dehydration reaction of fructose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) both in aqueous and nonaqueous systems. To study and correlate the surface properties of these carbocatalysts and some other SBA-15 typed solid acids with 5-HMF yield, hydrophilicity index (H-index) were employed in the fructose dehydration. Our study systematically declared that almost a criterion may be expected for application of solid acids in which by increasing H-index value up to 0.8 the HMF yield enhances accordingly. More increase in H-index up to 1.3 did not change the HMF yield profoundly. Although, it has been shown that the catalyst with larger H-index (∼1.3) resulted in higher activity both in aqueous and 2-propanol systems, during the recycling process deactivation occurs because of more water uptake and the catalysts with optimum amount of H-index (∼0.8) is more robust in the dehydration of fructose.

Organocatalytic upgrading of furfural and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural to C10 and C12 furoins with quantitative yield and atom-efficiency

There is increasing interest in the upgrading of C₅ furfural (FF) and C₆ 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) into C₁₀ and C₁₂ furoins as higher energy-density intermediates for renewable chemicals, materials, and biofuels. This work utilizes the organocatalytic approach, using the in situ generated N,S-heterocyclic carbene catalyst derived from thiazolium ionic liquids (ILs), to achieve highly efficient self-coupling reactions of FF and HMF. Specifically, variations of the thiazolium IL structure have led to the most active and efficient catalyst system of the current series, which is derived from a new thiazolium IL carrying the electron-donating acetate group at the 5-ring position. For FF coupling by this IL (0.1 mol %, 60 °C, 1 h), when combined with Et₃N, furoin was obtained in >99% yield. A 97% yield of the C₁₂ furoin was also achieved from the HMF coupling by this catalyst system (10 mol % loading, 120 °C, 3 h). On the other hand, the thiazolium IL bearing the electron-withdrawing group at the 5-ring position is the least active and efficient catalyst. The mechanistic aspects of the coupling reaction by the thiazolium catalyst system have also been examined and a mechanism has been proposed.

Catalytic dehydration of carbohydrates suspended in organic solvents promoted by AlCl3 /SiO2 coated with choline chloride

We show that the coating of choline chloride on silica-supported AlCl3 allows the dehydration of carbohydrates to successfully proceed in low boiling point organic solvents. The concept is based on the in situ formation of a deep eutectic liquid phase on the catalyst surface, thus facilitating the interaction between the solid catalyst and insoluble carbohydrate.

Ionic Liquids: Synthesis and Applications in Catalysis

Ionic liquids have emerged as an environmentally friendly alternative to the volatile organic solvents. Being designer solvents, they can be modulated to suit the reaction conditions, therefore earning the name “task specific ionic liquids.” Though primarily used as solvents, they are now finding applications in various fields like catalysis, electrochemistry, spectroscopy, and material science to mention a few. The present review is aimed at exploring the applications of ionic liquids in catalysis as acid, base, and organocatalysts and as soluble supports for catalysts.

Enhanced conversion of carbohydrates to the platform chemical 5-hydroxymethylfurfural using designer ionic liquids

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a key platform chemical that may be obtained from various cellulosic (biomass) derivatives. Previously, it has been shown that ionic liquids (ILs) facilitate the catalytic conversion of glucose into HMF. Herein, we demonstrate that the careful design of the IL cation leads to new ionic solvents that enhance the transformation of glucose and more complex carbohydrates into HMF significantly. In Situ NMR spectroscopy and computational modeling pinpoint the key interactions between the IL, catalyst, and substrate that account for the enhanced reactivities observed.

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

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.

Nickel-tungsten carbide catalysts for the production of 2,5-dimethylfuran from biomass-derived molecules

The development of new catalytic systems for the conversion of biomass-derived molecules into liquid fuels has attracted much attention. We propose a non-noble bimetallic catalyst based on nickel-tungsten carbide for the conversion of the platform molecules 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural into the liquid-fuel molecule 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF). Different catalysts, metal ratios and reaction conditions have been tested and give rise to a 96% yield of DMF. The catalysts have been characterized and are discussed. The reaction mechanism is also explored through capture of reaction intermediates. The analysis of the reaction mixture over different catalysts is presented and helps to understand the role of nickel and tungsten carbide during the reaction.

Toxicity of ionic liquids: eco(cyto)activity as complicated, but unavoidable parameter for task-specific optimization

Rapid progress in the field of ionic liquids in recent decades led to the development of many outstanding energy-conversion processes, catalytic systems, synthetic procedures, and important practical applications. Task-specific optimization emerged as a sharpening stone for the fine-tuning of structure of ionic liquids, which resulted in unprecedented efficiency at the molecular level. Ionic-liquid systems showed promising opportunities in the development of green and sustainable technologies; however, the chemical nature of ionic liquids is not intrinsically green. Many ionic liquids were found to be toxic or even highly toxic towards cells and living organisms. In this Review, we show that biological activity and cytotoxicity of ionic liquids dramatically depend on the nature of a biological system. An ionic liquid may be not toxic for particular cells or organisms, but may demonstrate high toxicity towards another target present in the environment. Thus, a careful selection of biological activity data is a must for the correct assessment of chemical technologies involving ionic liquids. In addition to the direct biological activity (immediate response), several indirect effects and aftereffects are of primary importance. The following principal factors were revealed to modulate toxicity of ionic liquids: i) length of an alkyl chain in the cation; ii) degree of functionalization in the side chain of the cation; iii) anion nature; iv) cation nature; and v) mutual influence of anion and cation.

Direct synthesis of 1,6-hexanediol from HMF over a heterogeneous Pd/ZrP catalyst using formic acid as hydrogen source

A new approach is developed for hydrogenolytic ring opening of biobased 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), dehydration product of hexoses, towards 1,6-hexanediol (HDO) under atmospheric pressure. The highest yield of HDO, 43%, is achieved over reusable Pd/zirconium phosphate (ZrP) catalyst at 413 K in the presence of formic acid as hydrogen source. In comparison with various Brønsted and/or Lewis acidic supports, the specific Brønsted acidity on ZrP support effectively accelerated the cleavage of C-O bond in a furan ring.

Silica-supported boric acid assisted conversion of mono- and poly-saccharides to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in ionic liquid

Silica-supported boric acid has been prepared and applied as heterogeneous catalyst for the direct conversion of inexpensive and biorenewable mono- and polysaccharides to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in ionic liquid under much milder conditions.

Efficient Sustainable Tool for Monitoring Chemical Reactions and Structure Determination in Ionic Liquids by ESI-MS

An easy and convenient procedure is described for monitoring chemical reactions and characterization of compounds dissolved in ionic liquids using the well-known tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) technique. Generation of wastes was avoided by utilizing an easy procedure for analysis of ionic liquid systems without preliminary isolation and purification. The described procedure also decreased the risk of plausible contamination and damage of the ESI-MS hardware and increased sensitivity and accuracy of the measurements. ESI-MS detection in MS/MS mode was shown to be efficient in ionic liquids systems for structural and mechanistic studies, which are rather difficult otherwise. The developed ESI-MS/MS approach was applied to study samples corresponding to peptide systems in ionic liquids and to platform chemical directed biomass conversion in ionic liquids.

Diesel and alkane fuels from biomass by organocatalysis and metal-acid tandem catalysis

Combo deal: Biomass furaldehydes are upgraded into oxygenated diesel and high-quality C10-12 linear alkane fuels. The first of two steps involves solvent-free self-condensation (Umpolung) through organocatalysis using an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC), yielding C10 -C12 furoin intermediates. In the metal-acid tandem catalysis step, in water, the furoin intermediates are converted into oxygenated biodiesel by hydrogenation, etherification or esterification; or into premium alkane jet fuels by hydrodeoxygenation.

Integrated chemo-enzymatic production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from glucose

Sweets for my sweet: The production and isolation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in high yield and purity is demonstrated by using a combination of glucose-fructose isomerization with sweetzyme in wet tetraethylammonium bromide (TEAB) and clean fructose dehydration to HMF catalyzed by using HNO₃ under moderate conditions, which allow the reuse of any unreacted glucose and TEAB.