Catalysis

Composite number

Yield (engineering)

5-hydroxymethylfurfural

Metallurgy

Materials science

Furfural

Cellulose

Solvent

Carbon fibers

Tetrahydrofuran

Physics

Organic chemistry

Astronomy

Polar

Composite material

Hydroxymethylfurfural

Chemistry

Green Chemistry

We demonstrate a process to produce levoglucosenone (LGO) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from cellulose in up to 65% carbon yield using H2SO4as catalyst and a solvent consisting of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and H2O.

Production of levoglucosenone and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from cellulose in polar aprotic solvent–water mixtures