Synthesis of sulfonated lignin-derived ordered mesoporous carbon for catalytic production of furfural from xylose

Sulfonated lignin-derived ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC-SO3H) solid acid was synthesized through solvent evaporation induced self-assembly (EISA) method followed by sulfonation, using lignin as carbon precursor and glyoxal as cross-linking agent during the preparation process. The as-synthesized OMC-SO3H exhibited a typical 2D hexagonal meso-structure (space group p6mm) and showed a good catalytic performance for the catalytic conversion of hemicellulose-derived xylose to furfural. A highest furfural yield of 76.7% with 100% xylose conversion was achieved at 200 °C for 45 min in γ-valerolactone (GVL)-water (85:15 v/v%) mixture. The lignin-derived OMC-SO3H solid acid catalyst showed superior stability and reusability, and was also applicable to the catalytic production of furfural from xylan. This work provides a promising strategy for the synthesis of ordered mesoporous carbon solid acid from green and sustainable lignin biomass resource, which has wide range of applications in the utilization of cellulose and hemicellulose.