Natural-based catalysts for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural production from cane syrup for pharmaceutical applications

Area of Science:

• Green Chemistry
• Catalysis
• Biomass Conversion

Background:

• 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is a key platform chemical with applications in pharmaceuticals and food.
• Conventional 5-HMF synthesis often involves toxic catalysts and harsh conditions.
• Developing sustainable and non-toxic catalytic routes is crucial for biomass valorization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate naturally derived carboxylic acids as non-toxic catalysts for 5-HMF production.
• To develop and optimize a continuous catalytic biphasic microreactor system for efficient 5-HMF synthesis.
• To achieve high-purity 5-HMF from renewable feedstocks like cane syrup.

Main Methods:

• Screening of carboxylic acids (citric, malic, acetic, lactic) as catalysts.
• Utilizing a continuous catalytic biphasic microreactor with dimethyl carbonate as solvent.
• Employing Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for parameter optimization (temperature, time, ratio, concentration, loading).

Main Results:

• Citric acid demonstrated superior catalytic activity among the tested acids.
• Optimized conditions yielded 76.9% 5-HMF yield and 89.6% selectivity.
• Purified 5-HMF achieved a purity of 99%.

Conclusions:

• Naturally derived carboxylic acids, particularly citric acid, offer a safe and sustainable alternative for 5-HMF production.
• The optimized microreactor system provides a highly efficient pathway to high-purity 5-HMF.
• This method presents a promising route for industrial-scale production of 5-HMF from renewable resources.