Selective conversion of cellulose to levulinic acid and furfural in sulfolane/water solvent

Direct conversion of cellulose into levulinic acid and furfural in sulfolane media with the aid of water and H2SO4 was performed at 140–220 °C under the pressures of 0–1.5 MPa. This approach could obtain 72.5 mol% levulinic acid and 11.5 mol% furfural formation under an optimal condition in which the mass ratio of sulfolane, water and H2SO4 was 90:10:1. It was found that the decrease of water content led to an increasing yield of furfural and...