Chromium(0) nanoparticles as effective catalyst for the conversion of glucose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.

It's nano: Small and uniform chromium nanoparticles, either preformed or generated in situ, effectively catalyze the conversion of glucose into 5-hydroxymethyl furfural. The results compare favorably with those achieved by using a catalyst system based on divalent CrCl(2) in ionic liquids (ILs). In addition, the chromium nanoparticles are found in the CrCl(2)/IL system, and the implications of their presence in that system is investigated.