Toward
the conversion of fructose and ethanol into 5-ethoxymethylfurfural
(EMF), the catalytic contribution of typical functional groups in
PW-containing Keggin polyoxometalates has been theoretically studied
at the M06/LANL2DZ,6-31++G(d,p) level in ethanol solution. The [HPW12O40]2– anion is regarded as
the model catalyst for the PW-containing polyoxometalates of both
homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts in ethanol solution, as it
possesses basic functional groups, that is, [W–OcH–W], [WOdH], and [WOd]. The [HPW12O40]2– anion
displays good catalytic activity, which originates from the contained
proton H+, that is, both [W–OcH–W]
and [WOdH] catalytically active sites. Herein,
over both [W–OcH–W] and [WOdH], the rate-controlling steps are associated with both C2–OH
and C1–H bond cleavages in fructose moiety, respectively. A
mechanism of proton-induced C–H bond cleavage is proposed,
in which the [HPW12O40]2– anion
is responsible for both the C–OH bond cleavage and C–O–C
ether–oxygen bond formation, while the ethanol solvent answers
for the C–H activation of the protonated intermediates. The
appropriate protonation capacity of a protic solvent plays an important
role in the conversion of fructose and ethanol into EMF. Alternatively,
the [HPW12O40]2– anion displays
almost no catalytic activity toward the O–H bond cleavage through
[2 + 2] addition, which comes from the very strong Lewis acidity of
the W-site.