Production of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural from glucose using Al2O3-TiO2-ZrO2 ternary catalysts.

Abstract In this work, mixed oxides Al2O3-TiO2-ZrO2 were evaluated varying their composition (% w/w) for the conversion of monosaccharides (fructose and glucose) to 5-hydroxymethylfural (HMF). Materials were characterized using Thermogravimetric Analysis and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (TGA-DSC), Nitrogen Physisorption (N2), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), RAMAN Spectroscopy, DRS UV-Vis Spectroscopy, Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), SEM, TEM, FTIR-Pyridine and Temperature Programmed Desorption of CO2 (TPD-CO2). The reactions were carried out at 175 °C and 30 bar of Ar pressure in a biphasic system (THF/H2O) for 3 h, obtaining a 78% maximum yield of HMF from the glucose and 63% yield from fructose. The materials studied carried out a direct dehydration of the monosaccharides to HMF in 30 minutes of reaction and were obtained as intermediates to dehydrate levulinic acid (LA) and formic acid (FA), these intermediates were analyzed and eluted using 1H- NMR technique.