Sustainable production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from fructose and inulin using active and stable acidic ionic liquids as homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts

LETICIA J, MENDEZ; ALICIA, CÁNEPA; GUSTAVO P, ROMANELLI; MÓNICA L, CASELLA; LICK, ILEANA D.

Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy

Elsevier

Año: 2024 vol. 39

2352-5541

Two Brønsted acidic ionic liquids (IL) were synthesized by quaternization of an organic base (imi-dazole and triethylammonium) with 1,4-butane sultone and its successive protonation with sulfu-ric acid. After a deep characterization, they were tested, as catalyst and solvent, in the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural production from D-fructose. IL1, [C4SO3Hmim][HSO4], showed the bestcatalytic activity in the dehydration of fructose, obtaining 58% of 5-HMF. This IL could be recy-cled and reused without appreciable loss of catalytic activity in four catalytic cycles (58%, 57%,56%, and 53%, respectively). It was used with other carbohydrates (monosaccharides, disaccha-rides, and polysaccharides) showing that all substrates containing fructose units were efficientlyconverted to 5-HMF. Furthermore, a heterogeneous system was prepared with IL1 supported onsilica gel, and this system exhibited high activity in the fructose dehydration reaction and a yieldof 70% of isolated and purified 5-HMF was achieved.