Iron-Modified Acid Carbons for the Conversion of Fructose to 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural under Microwave Heating

Carbons with Brønsted acidic sites and iron oxide modifications were prepared through hydrothermal carbonization and glycerol pyrolysis in the presence of sulfuric acid, magnetite, and iron(III) nitrate. The solids were tested as catalysts in converting fructose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF). Characterization techniques revealed a uniform presence of 4.89 mmol g^–1 total acidic groups, including up to 1.87 mmol g^–1 sulfonic and carboxylic groups. Combined with a reduced surface area, the Brønsted and Lewis acidity enabled the conversion of 94% of fructose with selectivity values as high as 95% for 5-HMF in just 10 min at 140 °C, using microwave heating and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as the solvent. This performance was attributed to the selective heating of the catalyst surface by the microwave absorption capacity of the acidic groups and iron oxide, leading to the formation of “hot spots.” The catalyst obtained by hydrothermal carbonization in the presence of Fe₃O₄, HCC-20% Fe₃O₄, demonstrated stability when reused for up to four consecutive cycles. A slight reduction in conversion and selectivity was observed after the first use, attributed to the presence of acid species not incorporated into the solid during the synthesis process.