Low-temperature production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural
(HMF) from
fructose in ternary deep eutectic solvents (TerDESs) of choline chloride
(ChCl), ethylene glycol (EG), and maleic acid (MalA) is proposed.
A fructose conversion of 99.9% and an HMF yield of 87.3% are achieved
in TerDES with ChCl/EG/MalA = 3:1:1 at 70 °C in 30 min. The ChCl
can effectively activate the hydroxy groups of fructose by lengthening
the C–O bonds. The EG can both improve the formation of ChCl–MalA
DES with wide ranges of component ratios and reduce the viscosity
of the DES. A reaction mechanism considering the synergistic effect
of the components in TerDES is suggested to explain the enhanced dehydration
of fructose under mild conditions. The recycling results of the TerDES
show stable yields of HMF within five recycle runs. This work offers
an efficient solution to a green and sustainable process for a high
yield of HMF production.
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