A simple and efficient synthesis of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from carbohydrates using acidic ionic liquid grafted on silica gel.

The catalytic application of 3-(4-sulfobutyl)-1-imidazole-3-ium chloride immobilized on activated silica gel (SiO-Imi-SOH) for the production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural is described here for the first time. This material was synthesized using a three-step method involving the grafting of chloropropyl groups onto activated silica gel, the substitution of zwitterions, and the acidification of zwitterions to form silica-supported ionic liquid. The successful immobilization of the IL on silica gel was confirmed through energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and elemental mapping.