Hydrogen Bonding‐Driven Microenvironment Regulation of a Wet‐Spun Sulfonated Polyacrylonitrile‐Polyvinylpyrrolidone Blend Catalyst for 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural Production

Hydrogen bond catalysis has been recognized as a promising field in biomass upgrading. This work focused on the catalytic dehydration of fructose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), wherein a wet-spun fiber catalyst was designed via the blending of sulfonated polyacrylonitrile (PAN_BS) with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The synergistic effect of PVP in regulating the hydrogen bond microenvironment, coupled with the polyacrylonitrile (PAN) support, was found to significantly enhance HMF selectivity. The formation of hydrogen bonds between fructose and C = O groups was validated through analytical techniques including ¹NMR spectroscopy, 2D H-H total correlation spectroscopy (TOCSY), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results demonstrated that PVP polymer chains were intercalated between PAN molecular chains, with which fructose interacted via hydrogen bonds; this interaction directed the reaction pathway toward HMF formation. An economical and stable solid acid catalytic system was provided by this research for the efficient conversion of biomass-derived fructose into HMF. New insights for the design of heterogeneous catalysts are offered by the strategy of regulating microenvironments through polymer blending.