Three
HO3S-functionalized porous organic polymers (HO3S-POPs) with high surface areas (500–700 m2/g)
and a broad range of porosity profiles were synthesized and tested
against homogeneous-acid analogs and commercially available acid resins
to evaluate their relative catalytic activities in the acid-catalyzed
conversion of fructose to HMF. Comparison of fructose conversions
and HMF yields demonstrates that the sulfonated POPs with hierarchical
porosity can achieve catalytic activities that rival those of their
homogeneous counterparts. The associated HMF selectivities represent
optimized values that increase with higher temperature and faster
heating, both of which can reduce the reaction time and limit product
decomposition. Due to their intrinsically high mesoporosity and number
of accessible acid sites, these HO3S-POPs also outperform
the commercially available Amberlyst 15 resin catalyst and its crushed
variant.
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