Production of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural from Hydrolysate of pretreated lignocellulosic biomass in a biphasic system reactor

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), obtained from the dehydration of hexose, is an essential component for the synthesis of biofuels and value-added molecules, using pretreated biomass as a precursor. In this study, the hemicelluloses hydrolysate from woody biomass steam explosion is utilized to produce HMF in a biphasic solvent system. A series of parameters, such as the initial hexose concentration, aqueous/organic phase ratio, solvent type and reaction time, were examined to optimize HMF yield and selectivity while minimizing side reactions. A Lewis acid catalyst was employed to isomerize glucose into fructose and improve reactivity. Hence, with a hexose conversion of 68 mol%, maximum HMF yield of 39 mol% was achieved after 30 min reaction time at 160 °C using MIBK as extractant solvent at a 7:1 organic/aqueous ratio. However, a selectivity of 94 mol% was obtained using 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-meTHF) and methylisobutylketone (MIBK) as co-solvent. These findings demonstrate the potential use of hemicellulose hydrolysate to produce HMF, offering an alternative strategy for the valorization of this valuable resource.