Fabrication of sulfonic acid modified mesoporous silica shells and their catalytic performance with dehydration reaction of d-xylose into furfural

Sulfonic acid and aluminium modified mesoporous shell silica bead (MSHS, Mesoporous SHell Silica bead) were synthesized, respectively. Their catalytic performance was tested by dehydration reaction of d-xylose into furfural. Sulfonic acid modified MSHS showed higher selectivity of furfural than that of aluminosilicate MSHS. When aluminosilicate MSHS was used as catalyst, production of lyxose which is isomer of xylose was much more than using sulfonic acid modified MSHS. MSHS showed much more enhanced hydrothermal stability than other mesoporous silica materials, such as MCM-41.

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► Synthesis of mesoporous silica bead with solid core and mesoporous shell.
► Modification of mesoporous shell with sulfonic acid as a acid source.
► Catalysts for dehydration of d-xylose into furfural.
► They showed good selectivity and enhanced hydrothermal stability.