PROCESSES FOR MAKING FURFURALS

摘要

Processes for making furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from sugars are provided. The processes can be carried out using a batch process or a continuous mode of operation. An aqueous sugar solution is pressurized with CO2, thereby producing carbonic acid in situ that catalyzes the dehydration reaction to produce furfural from C5 sugars and 5-methylhydroxyfurfural from C6 sugars.