The Study of Hydroxymethylfurfural as a Basic Reagent for Liquid Alkanes Fuel Manufacture from Agricultural Wastes

Renewable biomass resources have the potential to serve as a sustainable supply of fuels and chemical intermediates. The spent-biomass residues will contain fragments from lignin, residual carbohydrates and other organic matter. Two of these biomass residues are the molasses and bagasse of sugar cane which have several carbohydrates compounds in them.This paper discusses the relative advantages of different process options to convert carbohydrates to 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF), a valuable intermediate for fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals and furan-based polymers.A great variety of acid catalysts has been used in this process, such as mineral acids, Lewis acids, strong acid cation-exchange resins, H-form zeolites and supported heteropolyacids. Several reaction media have been adopted, such as the more convenient water, but also anhydrous organic solvents, ionic liquids and recently biphasic water/organic co-solvent systems.