Exceptionally high yields of furfural from assorted raw biomass over solid acids

Abstract

and recyclable solid acid catalysts in the efficient valorisation of hemicellulose to yield C 5 sugars and furfural is vital to boost the prospects of using lignocelluloses for chemicals synthesis. Using an silicoaluminophosphate, namely SAPO-44, as a catalyst, an environmentally benign process of furfural synthesis from diversified real substrates (without any treatment or the need for separation of its components) is shown. In an efficient one-pot methodology, at 443 K and in the presence of a biphasic solvent system, selective conversions of hemicelluloses from raw biomass (bagasse, rice husk and wheat straw) to extraordinarily high yields of furfural of about 93% were attainable. Under similar reaction conditions, an 82% yield of furfural is also achievable directly from isolated hemicellulose within 10 h. Hydrophilic SAPO-44, having higher hydrothermal stability, showed similar activity for all the substrates for a minimum of up to 8 times in recycling runs. Various physicochemical characterizations (X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis-derivative thermogravimetry, temperature programmed desorption-NH 3 , N 2 sorption, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) of fresh and spent catalysts were used to improve SAPO-44 stability.

SO42−/Sn-MMT Solid Acid Catalyst for Xylose and Xylan Conversion into Furfural in the Biphasic System

“…Lessard et al [39] got a 98% furfural yield, but the required temperature was really high (260 • C). Agirrezabal et al [40] and Bhaumik et al [41] also achieved a high furfural yield (more than 80%) but it required a long reaction time. The reaction conditions used in this work were relatively moderate with the furfural yield of 79.64% from xylose and 77.35% from xylan.…”

A Bibliometric Study of Scientific Publications regarding Hemicellulose Valorization during the 2000–2016 Period: Identification of Alternatives and Hot Topics

“…Traditional operation conditions include temperature in the 200-250 °C range and the presence of sulfuric acid as catalyst, but alternative acids have been proposed, such as formic acid [195]. However, efforts to improve the process by heterogeneous catalysis have been carried out [196][197][198][199] and the recent employment of ionic liquids as catalysts has opened a new opportunity to furfural production [200,201]. Although furfural can be the starting block for the synthesis of a series of furan derivatives with high commercial interest [87,202], 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is an even more attractive platform [203].…”

Enhancement of furfural formation from C5 carbohydrates by NaCl in a green reaction system of CO2–water–isopropanol

“…The isolated yield of FF was calculated as 75 ± 5% (considering the total FF yield in the reaction as 100%). Bhaumik and Dhepe [41] reported the production of FF in a solvent system of water and toluene, and they obtained a similar isolated yield of 79% (based on 100% total FF yield) by means of distillation.…”