Siberian Federal University

The 5-butoxymethylfurfural (5-BMF) catalytic hydrogenation process has been studied using SIBUNIT and zirconium dioxide supported palladium catalysts in tetrahydrofuran and butanol, respectively. 5-BMF dibutylacetal is the main product of heating the solution of 5-BMF without both catalyst and hydrogen. Butyl ester of 5-butoxymethyl-2-furan carboxylic acid and butanal dibutylacetal traces have also been detected. In the first step, processes of the furan ring hydrogenation to tetrahydrofuran derivatives using palladium catalysts occur. Hydrogenation of the dibutylacetal group occurs slower than the furan ring conversion. Hydrogenolysis and migration of the furan ring substituents have also been observed