Hydrochloric Acid → 5-Chloromethylfurfural

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a three-necked flask equipped with a condenser and a stirrer were added 5 g (0.028 mole) of a commercially available D-(-)-fructose and a surface active agent, 82.3 mg (0.00028 mole) of lauryldimethylbetaine. Then, 5 ml of water and 30 ml of toluene were added thereto and the mixture was stirred. Thereafter, a molar excess of hydrogen chloride was passed through the mixture at room temperature for about 30 minutes with thorough stirring. After the reaction was continued at room temperature for a further 3 hours, the upper toluene layer was separated from the lower aqueous layer. Thirty milli-liters of toluene and the above surface active agent in the same amount as above were then freshly added to the aqueous layer. After the reaction was carried out at room temperature for 3 hours, the upper toluene layer was again separated. This toluene extraction operation was repeated three times in total. All the toluene layers were combined and filtered through Celite. The filtrate was neutralized with an aqueous sodium hydrogen carbonate solution, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated. Thus, about 2.9 g of 5-chloromethylfurfural was obtained as a crude product.

Provenance & Evidence