The principles for converting the furfural are shown in the above block flow diagram, using a four-step catalytic process:

1. furfural (FAF) to furfural–acetone (2:1) dimer (i.e. the aldol condensation product of furfural and acetone),
2. Oli – oligomeric adducts formed by Michael addition reactions,
3. H-FAF – hydrogenated furfural–acetone (2:1) dimer,
4. Cyc – cyclic compounds formed by hydrogenation and Diels–Alder reactions.

Click here to access the full article from the team, which is led by James Dumesic and George Huber (University of Wisconsin-Madison): "Production of renewable petroleum refinery diesel and jet fuels feedstocks from hemicellulose sugar streams".

Furfural and its many By-products