Advances in the conversion of glucose and cellulose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural over heterogeneous catalysts

Efficient conversion of glucose and cellulose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is one of the most successful and promising routes in the field of biomass transformation. In recent years, many kinds of catalysts have been developed for this important reaction, and much progress has been achieved. Compared with homogeneous catalysts, heterogeneous acidic catalysts have attracted much more interest for dehydration of glucose and cellulose to HMF due to their separable and reusable nature. This review focuses on efficient and selective conversion of glucose and cellulose to HMF catalyzed by heterogeneous catalysts in various solvent systems, including water, organic solvents, ionic liquids, mixed solvents, and biphasic systems. At the end of this review, an outlook is provided to highlight the challenges and opportunities related to this interesting and important route for HMF production from glucose and cellulose.