PROCESS FOR MAKING FURFURAL

摘要

Processes are described for producing furfural from a mixture of pentoses and hexoses, by dehydrating and cyclizing pentoses to provide furfural using a water-soluble acid at elevated temperatures in the presence of a low-boiling, water-immiscible organic solvent, such as toluene, which is effective for extracting the furfural into an organic phase portion. In certain embodiments, a fermentation step occurs prior to the dehydration step to convert hexoses in the mixed pentoses and hexoses to ethanol while conserving pentoses therein for making furfural.