Mesoporous Doped Tungsten Oxide for Glucose Dehydration to 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural

Glucose valorization to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) remains a challenging conversion that is highly relevant in the transition toward a sustainable chemical industry. Lewis acidic tungstite is a viable, moderately active catalyst for glucose upgrading to 5-HMF but suffers from low surface area and weak Brønsted acidity. A facile nontemplated sol–gel process produces a mesoporous substoichiometric tungsten oxide with high surface area and Brønsted acidity, and increased activity toward 5-HMF production. The material is easily doped with early transition metals, which strongly modify physico-chemical parameters such as the acidity and, accordingly, the catalytic activity of the mesoporous oxide. Glucose was converted to 5-HMF in H2O/THF mixtures using doped and undoped materials. Kinetic parameters established by variation of the temperature and reaction times show a strong dependence on the nature of the dopant and pretreatment of the catalytic material.