Boron-doped sulfonated graphitic carbon nitride as a highly efficient catalyst for the production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from carbohydrates

The presence of humins during the conversion of concentrated fructose presents a major obstacle in the large-scale production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from fructose. Herein, we reported a boron-doped graphitic carbon nitride sulfonated (BGCN-SO₃H) as an excellent catalyst for the synthesis of HMF from fructose. The BGCN-SO₃H catalyst structures were analyzed using various characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), elemental mapping analysis, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The BGCN-SO₃H catalyst was evaluated for the synthesis of HMF from fructose. We investigated the influence of catalyst performance, including solvent reactions, catalyst loading, substrates, and volume of solvent to optimize reaction conditions. As a result, the yield of HMF was obtained at 88 % within 5 h when using 30 mg of catalyst. The study of catalyst activity involved examining reactions that allowed recovery and reuse. The research findings offer a method for producing HMF with exceptional efficiency using solid catalysts.