Highly efficient conversion of cellulose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural using temperature-responsive ChnH5-nCeW12O40 (n = 1–5) catalysts

Abstract The design of stable heteropolyacid (HPA) catalysts with strong Bronsted acidity and mild Lewis acidity is crucial for the efficient conversion of renewable biomass to value-added chemicals. Firstly, a novel strategy was proposed to synthesize the Ce-based HPA of H5CeW12O40. Secondly, the H5CeW12O40 was combined with ChCl to form a series of temperature-responsive HPA catalysts (ChnH5-nCeW12O40, n = 1–5), which allowed the catalysts to be applied as soluble catalysts at a temperature >80 °C and be easily separated as an insoluble catalyst at a temperature