Cascade of Liquid-Phase Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation and Etherification of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to Potential Biodiesel Components over Lewis Acid Zeolites

We report a one‐step process for the production of diesel fuel from biomass‐derived 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). The reaction proceeds through the sequential transfer hydrogenation and etherification of HMF to 2,5‐bis(alkoxymethyl)furan, a potential biodiesel additive, catalyzed by a Lewis acid zeolite, such as Sn‐Beta or Zr‐Beta. An alcohol is used as a hydrogen donor and as a reactant in etherification. This cascade reaction can selectively produce high yields of the biodiesel additive (>80 % yield) from HMF with the Sn‐Beta catalyst and secondary alcohols, such as 2‐propanol and 2‐butanol. Diesel addiction: Biomass‐derived 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is converted to 2,5‐bis(alkoxymethyl)furan, a potential biodiesel additive, through sequential transfer hydrogenation and etherification reactions catalyzed by a Lewis acid zeolite, such as Sn‐Beta or Zr‐Beta. Sn‐Beta selectively produces high yields of the biodiesel additive (>80 % yield) with secondary alcohols, such as 2‐propanol and 2‐butanol, as hydrogen donors and as etherification agents.