Degradation of microcrystalline cellulose to 5-hydroxylmethylfurfural catalyzed by CrCl3/[R4N]ReO4

CrCl3 and tetraalkyl ammonium perrhenate were used as catalysts to promote the microcrystalline cellulose degradation to 5-hydroxylmethylfurfural (5-HMF) in ionic liquids. CrCl3/[R4N]ReO4 shows good catalytic activity towards cellulose degradation, where 49.3% of 5-HMF yield was obtained under the condition of 5 mol% of tetramethyl ammonium perrhenate and 7 mol% of CrCl3 by using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Emim]Cl) as solvent. The influence of water amount, reaction time and temperature, type and amount of catalysts on cellulose degradation were fully examined.