LAUSR

Abstract A series of metal-containing silicoaluminophosphate (MeSAPOs) molecular sieves was synthesized by the hydrothermal method, where bauxite was used as the source for single Si, Al and Me (Me = Fe, Ti). The products with different compositions, including MeSAPO-5, MeSAPO-11, MeSAPO-34 and MeSAPO-44, were all characterized by XRD, SEM, UV–vis and NH 3 -TPD. The catalytic performance of those MeSAPOs for dehydration of fructose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) were investigated. The results indicated that the catalytic performance decreased in the order of MeSAPO-11 > MeSAPO-5 > MeSAPO-34 > MeSAPO-44, which corresponded to the order of the total number of the acid sites. Among those MeSAPOs molecular sieves, MeSAPO-11 had the highest HMF yield of 65.1% at 170 °C after 2.5 h, due to more acid sites. Research results also indicated that the dehydration reaction rate and HMF yield were related to the acidity.