Selective dehydration of fructose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural catalyzed by mesoporous SBA-15-SO(3)H in ionic liquid BmimCl.

Mesoporous SBA-15 materials functionalized with propylsulfonic acid groups (SBA-15-SO(3)H) were synthesized through a conventional one-pot route. It was used as a catalyst for the selective synthesis of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from the dehydration of fructose using BmimCl as solvent. Reaction time, temperature and fructose concentration were investigated during the HMF synthesis procedure. The catalyst SBA-15-SO(3)H exhibits high fructose conversion (near 100%) and HMF selectivity (about 81%) with good stability in the HMF synthesis. It was a suitable catalyst to produce HMF from renewable carbohydrates in potential industrial process.