A comparative study of 5-(chloromethyl)furfural and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural

Abstract

There has been a growth in research focusing on versatile platform molecules from biomass, such as 5-(chloromethyl)furfural (CMF) and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF), since they can produce a wide range of beneficial derivatives. Although the syntheses of HMF and CMF have been the subject of several investigations separately, determining which platform is superior is a significant consideration that is frequently missing from the body of current knowledge. The chlorine group in CMF introduces fundamental differences and creates new potential compared to the HMF molecule. This group leads to higher hydrophobicity properties and facilitates extraction from the reaction medium, and also improves the stability and reactivity of CMF, which makes this platform a milestone in the synthesis of value-added chemicals from biomass. CMF, as a fascinating platform, can be obtained from a range of biomass feedstocks, while HMF is only practically prepared at scale from fructose. This comprehensive review article, based on research from 2000 to 2024, compares HMF and CMF and introduces all the aspects that lead to the sustainability and increased application of CMF and carefully discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each platform molecule.