(426e) The Effect of Solvents and Amine-Functionalized Metal-Organic Frameworks in Glucose Isomerization to Fructose

This study explores the cooperation between amine functional groups and metal nodes of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in glucose isomerization. We hypothesize that the presence of amine groups together with metal nodes of MOFs enhances the glucose isomerization to fructose. The amine functional groups act as Bronsted bases, which catalyzes glucose isomerization. We conducted the study by synthesizing the trimeric metal clusters (Al, Cr, and Fe) using the amine functionalized linkers. These MOFs were applied to glucose isomerization in various solvents, including polar solvent (1-propanol, 2-butanol), polar protic solvents (water, methanol, ethanol, 1-butanol, 2-propanol), and polar aprotic solvents (DMF, DMA, DMSO, THF & ethyl acetate). They were inactive in water. However, we observed the high fructose selectivity of 61% in ethanol at 120°C after 2h. The presence of amine functional groups enhanced the catalytic activity. These MOFs were recyclable and showed only a minor loss in activity after five reuses. This strategy can be applied to sugar mills for production of fructose and biorefineries to enhance the fructose intermediate for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) production.