Production of bio-based furfural from xylose over a recyclable niobium phosphate (NbOPO3) catalyst

Aqueous-phase catalytic conversion of biomass-derived xylose to value-added furfural typically involves cascade xylose-to-xylulose isomerization and dehydration. To simplify this catalytic process with improved efficiency, a Lewis and Brønsted acid bifunctional NbOPO3 catalyst was synthesized by an impregnation method. The effects of reaction time/temperature, catalyst dosage, and the substrate concentration, as well as reaction kinetics, were studied. A high furfural yield of 54.9 mol% was obtained at 180°C for 3 h. The synergistic effect of Lewis and Brønsted acid sites in the highly recyclable NbOPO3 catalyst was demonstrated to be important for efficient conversion of xylose to furfural.