One-step conversion of hemicellulosic pentoses into furfural via iron(iii) sulfate-catalyzed distillation

In this study, we introduce a straightforward and effective strategy for synthesizing furfural directly from D-xylose and L-arabinose by employing hydrated iron(III) sulfate [Fe2(SO4)3·xH2O], under distillation at atmospheric pressure. The transformation proceeds without any organic solvent, using only pentose sugars derived from hemicellulose and 30 mol% of the catalytic agent. The process is optimized at a temperature of 170 °C. Under these conditions, after 90 minutes, D-xylose yields up to 92% furfural with 94% selectivity, while L-arabinose provides 85% yield with a selectivity of 90%. Water is the major by-product.