Solid acid-catalyzed conversion of furfuryl alcohol to alkyl tetrahydrofurfuryl ether

The acidic zeolite HZSM-5 (Si/Al=25) achieved 58.9% selectivity of methyl furfuryl ether (MFE) and 44.8% selectivity of ethyl furfuryl ether (EFE) from etherification of furfuryl alcohol with methanol and ethanol. MFE and EFE were quantitatively hydrogenated into methyl tetrahydrofurfuryl ether (MTE) and ethyl tetrahydrofurfuryl ether (ETE) using a Raney Ni catalyst.