Highly Efficient Catalytic Activity of Lanthanide(III) Ions for Conversion of Saccharides to 5-Hydroxymethyl-2-furfural in Organic Solvents

All lanthanide(III) ions were found to catalyze dehydration of saccharides to 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF) in DMSO at 100 - 120 °C. Particularly, d-fructose was almost quantitatively converted to HMF without generating any byproducts. The results of the reaction with di- and trisaccharides indicated that the d-fructose moiety in the substrates was selectively converted to HMF.