Kinetics of xylose dehydration into furfural in acetic acid

In this paper kinetics of xylose dehydration into furfural using acetic acid as catalyst was studied comprehensively and systematically. The reaction order of both furfural and xylose dehydration was determined and the reaction activation energy was obtained by nonlinear regression. The effect of acetic acid concentration was also investigated. Reaction rate constants were gained. Reaction rate constant of xylose dehydration is k1=4.189×1010A0.1676exp−108.6×1000RT, reaction rate constant of furfural degradation is k2=1.271×104A0.1375exp−63.413×1000RT and reaction rate constant of condensation reaction is k3=3.4051×1010A0.1676exp−104.99×1000RT. Based on this, the kinetics equation of xylose dehydration into furfural in acetic acid was set up according to theory of Dunlop and Furfural generating rate equation is dFdt=k1X0e−k1t−k2F−k3X0e−k1tF.

Graphical abstractAccording to Dunlop route, reaction rate constants were obtained. Reaction rate constant of xylose dehydration is k1=4.189×1010A0.1676exp−108.6×1000RT, reaction rate constant of furfural degradation is k2=1.271×104A0.1375exp−63.413×1000RT and reaction rate constant of condensation reaction is k3=3.4051×1010A0.1676exp−104.99×1000RT. Furfural generating rate equation is dFdt=k1X0e−k1t−k2F−k3X0e−k1tF. With k1, k2 and k3 known, on condition that the initial conditions are given, the plots of furfural concentration variation in time order on different reaction conditions could be obtained. Parts of experimental and model prediction results are shown in this figure.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide