710
Cannizzaro reactions: Furfural undergoes Cannizzaro reaction with KOH solution as medium to yield equimolar percentages to form potassium furan-2carboxylate and furfuryl alcohol. Microwave-assisted reactions under solvent-free
conditions can also be performed for Cannizzaro reactions of furfural [11]. Presently
furfural undergoing Cannizzaro reaction is widely performed for commercially producing furoic acid.
Acetalisation and acylation: Furfural undergoes acetalisation reaction like other
aldehydes with various alcohols. Recent use of montmorillonite clays exchanged
with cerium and aluminosilicates which are mesoporous in size yielded good results
and were found to be efficient for the formation of acetals from furfural [12].
Acid anhydrides are also used for acylation of furfural [13, 14]. Formation of
furfuryl diacetate is done with ethanoic anhydride and SnCl 2 as catalyst. Recently
acid catalysts such as H-Nafion, ferric chloride and silica reacted in microwave
conditions and silica-supported Wells-Dawson heteropoly acid have been applied
for furfural acylation [15].
Table 1 Furfural: physical
properties
Molecular weight
96.08
Boiling point at 101.3 kPa
161.7 °C
Freezing point
−36.5 °C
Density at 20 °C
1.1598 g/cm
3
Solubility in water (25 °C)
8.3 wt%
Flash point
61.7 °C
Heat of vaporisation (liquid) 42.8 kJ/mol
Heat of combustion (liquid) 2344 kJ/mol
N. J. Mazumdar et al.
Cannizzaro reactions: Furfural undergoes Cannizzaro reaction with KOH solution as medium to yield equimolar percentages to form potassium furan-2carboxylate and furfuryl alcohol. Microwave-assisted reactions under solvent-free
conditions can also be performed for Cannizzaro reactions of furfural [11]. Presently
furfural undergoing Cannizzaro reaction is widely performed for commercially producing furoic acid.
Acetalisation and acylation: Furfural undergoes acetalisation reaction like other
aldehydes with various alcohols. Recent use of montmorillonite clays exchanged
with cerium and aluminosilicates which are mesoporous in size yielded good results
and were found to be efficient for the formation of acetals from furfural [12].
Acid anhydrides are also used for acylation of furfural [13, 14]. Formation of
furfuryl diacetate is done with ethanoic anhydride and SnCl 2 as catalyst. Recently
acid catalysts such as H-Nafion, ferric chloride and silica reacted in microwave
conditions and silica-supported Wells-Dawson heteropoly acid have been applied
for furfural acylation [15].
Table 1 Furfural: physical
properties
Molecular weight
96.08
Boiling point at 101.3 kPa
161.7 °C
Freezing point
−36.5 °C
Density at 20 °C
1.1598 g/cm
3
Solubility in water (25 °C)
8.3 wt%
Flash point
61.7 °C
Heat of vaporisation (liquid) 42.8 kJ/mol
Heat of combustion (liquid) 2344 kJ/mol
N. J. Mazumdar et al.