METHOD FOR PURIFYING HYDROXYMETHYL-FURFURAL USING NON-FUNCTIONAL POLYMERIC RESINS

摘要

Disclosed are methods of at least partially purifying HMF from an aqueous mixture containing reactants and products of HMF synthesis from fructose that relies on use of non-functional polymeric resins. A first type of non-functional polymeric resin preferentially adsorbs HMF relative to fructose and is used to remove a majority of fructose from the reaction mixture. HMF is desorbed from the first non-functional polymeric resin with an organic solvent such as acetone. A second type of non-functional polymeric resin preferential adsorbs furfural from an aqueous reaction mixture allowing HMF to pass through. In one embodiment, these non-functional polymeric resins may be used alone in combination with each other to obtain HMF of high purity. In other embodiments, one or more of the foregoing non-functional polymeric resin resins is used in combination with cation exchange chromatography to still further purify the HMF.