Effect of Acid‐Basic Sites Ratio on the Catalytic Activity to Obtain 5‐HMF from Glucose Using Al2O3‐TiO2‐W Catalysts

Abstract A series of Al 2 O 3 ‐TiO 2 ‐W materials with variation in W composition was prepared using an innocuous and easy sol‐gel method, under both acid and basic pH conditions. The morphology and composition of W in the materials were studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS), respectively, Density of basic and acid sites by CO 2 and NH 3 temperature programmed desorption (TPD) technique, and physicochemical properties by N 2 physisorption studies, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and UV‐Vis spectroscopy. The catalytic properties of Al 2 O 3 ‐TiO 2 ‐W were examined for the conversion of glucose to produce 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (5‐HMF) and the best yield of 5‐HMFobtained with the catalyst of 5 w% W load. This high yield level was achieved when the catalyst with 2.35 acid‐basic sites molar ratio was probed.