| abstract |
The present invention relates to a process for the production and separation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) comprising the steps of: (1) dehydrating at least one saccharide selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides having 6 carbon atoms and disaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides formed from units having 6 carbon atoms or mixtures thereof, in the presence of water and of at least one quaternary ammonium salt, at a temperature between 80-130° C., obtaining a reaction mixture comprising the quaternary ammonium salt, HMF and any unreacted saccharide; and (2) subjecting the said reaction mixture to at least one membrane separation operation selected in the group consisting of nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, electrodialisis and their combinations, obtaining an aqueous permeate comprising HMF and a retentate comprising quaternary ammonium salt, wherein both the dehydration of step (1) and the separation operations of step (2) are carried out in the absence of organic solvents. |