Tuning of MgO's base characteristics by blending it with amphoteric ZnO facilitating the selective glucose isomerization to fructose for bioenergy development.

Fructose serves as an important intermediate in the preparation of liquid fuel compounds. Herein, we report its selective production a chemical catalysis method over ZnO/MgO nanocomposite. The blending of an amphoteric ZnO with MgO reduced the latter's unfavorable moderate/strong basic sites that can influence the side reactions in the sugar interconversion, reducing fructose productivity.