Lewis Acid Catalyzed Conversion of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to 1,2,4-Benzenetriol, an Overlooked Biobased Compound.

ABSTRACT: 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a platform chemical that can be produced from renewable carbohydrate sources. HMF can be converted to 1,2,4-benzenetriol (BTO) which after catalytic hydrodeoxygenation provides a route to cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol. This mixture, known as KA oil, is an important feedstock for polymeric products such as nylons which use benzene as feedstock that is obtained from the BTX fraction produced in oil refineries. Therefore, the conversion of HMF to BTO provides a renewable, alternative route toward products such as nylons. However, BTO is usually considered an undesired byproduct in HMF synthesis and is only obtained in small amounts. Here, we show that Lewis acid catalysts can be utilized for the selective conversion of HMF to BTO in subsuper critical water. O

SUBMITTER: Kumalaputri AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5871338 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature