Continuous Monophasic Production of Pharmaceutical-Grade 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural from Sugar Syrup
Thai researchers developed a continuous monophasic process for producing 5-hydroxymethylfurfural directly from sugarcane syrup, using citric acid instead of mineral acid and screening lower-toxicity solvents. Optimized selectivity reached 43.9%, and adsorption plus solvent evaporation yielded 99% purity.