Science Network, July 11, 2006: Rising oil prices have become a major concern for drivers and consumers alike, with many everyday petrochemical products also seeing significant price hikes. For instance, the cost of polypropylene has surged in recent years. This trend has sparked renewed interest in previously overlooked areas—such as converting crops and other renewable resources into household chemicals. While producing chemical alternatives to petrochemicals has historically been both difficult and costly, recent breakthroughs by American scientists are changing the game.
According to a recent article in *Science*, University of Wisconsin-Madison chemist James Dumesic and his team have developed an innovative method to convert fructose from fruits, corn syrup, and honey into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a compound that can replace traditional petrochemicals. Unlike earlier techniques, this new process is more efficient, simpler, and potentially less expensive. Thomas Zawodzinski, a chemical engineer at Case Western Reserve University, commented, “This is really promising. It’s a direction we need to explore further.â€
Despite its potential, HMF hasn’t been produced on a large scale due to high costs. However, it can be easily transformed into other useful compounds, like FDCA, which serves as a base for everyday materials such as polyester. The research team found that converting fructose into HMF requires removing three water molecules, and they experimented with various acidic catalysts to speed up the reaction. But the process often led to unwanted byproducts, limiting HMF yields.
To address this, researchers tried using an organic solvent that floats on water, allowing HMF to separate and reducing side reactions. Yet, extracting HMF from the solvent proved challenging, requiring high-temperature evaporation. Dumesic and his students then introduced additives like DMSO and PVP, which helped suppress side reactions and boost HMF production. However, these additives increased HMF’s solubility in water, making it harder for another solvent, MIBK, to extract it efficiently.
Eventually, the team solved this issue by mixing MIBK with a small amount of dibutanol, enhancing HMF’s affinity for the solvent. Since MIBK has a lower boiling point, the solvent could be easily re-evaporated with dibutanol and returned to the reactor, leaving behind pure HMF.
The *Nature* online edition also covered the study. Jeff Hardy of the Royal Society of Chemistry noted, “Selection and separation are key challenges in this process.†He added, “Every step toward creating building materials from renewable sources is positive, and this progress represents a meaningful move forward.â€
The improved method has now achieved an 85% conversion rate of fructose to HMF. Todd Werpy, a biochemicals expert at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, said, “These developments make it possible to discuss commercial production of HMF using renewable materials. This could significantly impact future chemical demand.†(Ren Yipeng)
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