Rapid and highly selective conversion of biomass into value-added products in hydrothermal conditions: chemistry of acid/base-catalysed and oxidation reactions

An overview of recent advances in research on selective conversion of carbohydrates into products with hydrothermal chemistry is given. Conversion methods tend to use acid- or base-catalysed reactions and oxidation reactions. Conversion products that can be selectively produced include acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid, levulinic acid, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF) and 2-furaldehyde (2-FA). Future conversion paths and possible new products that can be formed with hydrothermal chemistry include aldol/reverse condensation, dehydration, benzilic acid rearrangement, keto-enol tautomerization, Lobry de Bruyn-Alberda van Ekenstein transformation and oxidation reactions.