Heteropolyacid catalyzed conversion of fructose, sucrose, and inulin to 5-ethoxymethylfurfural, a liquid biofuel candidate

The heteropolyacid H3PW12O40 has been used as a catalyst for the production of 5-ethoxymethylfurfural (EMF), a viable liquid biofuel, from fructose, sucrose, and inulin. An EMF yield of 65% can be obtained from fructose within 30 min at 130 °C in ethanol under microwave heating. The introduction of tetrahydrofuran as a co-solvent improved the yield of EMF to 76%. Longer reaction time, higher reaction temperature and higher catalyst amount lead to the decomposition of EMF to ethyl levulinate. The fructose moieties in sucrose and inulin are converted to EMF selectively. However, glucose moieties cannot be converted to EMF by this heteropolyacid catalyst. Instead ethyl glucoside is formed.