Production of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural From Fructose

A process for producing 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, said process comprising:

• a) providing an aqueous solution comprising fructose and, optionally, glucose and/or mannose;
• b) optionally contacting the solution with glucose isomerase enzyme (E.C. 5.3.1.5) which converts glucose to fructose and/or mannose isomerase enzyme (E.C. 5.3.1.7) which converts mannose to fructose;
• c) combining the solution with at least one organic solvent as well as an acid catalyst and/or a salt to provide a reaction mixture, wherein the mixture forms a single-phase system at standard conditions of 20° C. and 1 atm. absolute pressure;
• and
• d) heating said reaction mixture for a time sufficient to allow dehydration of fructose to provide 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in a resulting product mixture.