Dramatic Advancements in the Saccharide to 5‐(Chloromethyl)furfural Conversion Reaction

CMF from biomass ten times faster: Sugars, cellulose, and corn stover are converted into 5-(chloromethyl)furfural (CMF) in only 3 h by digestion with hydrochloric acid in a closed, biphasic reactor at 80–100 °C in >80 % isolated yield. Under the same conditions, chitin gives a mixture of CMF and levulinic acid in a combined yield of 74 %.