Advances in the use of process intensification technologies for the chemo-catalytic synthesis of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural from sugars

<p indent="0mm">5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural (FUR) have been recognized as valuable biomass-derived platform chemicals, serving as a bridge between biomass feedstocks and the biorefining industry. Process intensification technologies have opened up broad opportunities for green and sustainable chemical synthesis. The application of process intensification technologies in the catalytic synthesis of HMF and FUR can increase the reaction rate effectively and limit side reactions, thus improving the production efficiency of HMF and FUR. This work aims to review the current status on the use of process intensification technologies for the chemo-catalytic synthesis of HMF and FUR from sugars, mainly including reactive separation technologies (e.g., reactive extraction, reactive adsorption, reactive distillation, membrane-assisted reactive separation) and new reactor technologies (e.g., microreactors and microwave reactors). The review focuses on the basic principles, application potential, future research challenges and directions of these process intensification technologies for the efficient production of HMF and FUR.