Fast and efficient DMSO-mediated dehydration of carbohydrates into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural

•Dehydration of monoaldoses and aldoketoses under catalyst-free conditions.•Dimethylsulfoxide has a dual role, solvent and reaction mediator.•Up to 92 % yield of HMF from D-fructose after 4 min.•Other 6 and 5 atom carbon carbohydrates tested in cyclodehydration.

Dehydration of monoaldoses and aldoketoses under catalyst-free conditions has been studied varying the solvent nature, the concentration and the heating mode (conventional or microwaves). Best results were obtained in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) indicating that DMSO has a dual role: solvent and reaction mediator. Thus, d-fructose provided 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in up to 92% yield after only 4 min under microwave irradiation. Under similar experimental conditions, inulin and l-sorbose afforded HMF in yields up to 47% and 76%, respectively, while d-xylose yielded up to 25% of furfural under conventional heating.

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