Patent ID: 8524924

Claim:
A process for the selective production of furfural, the process comprising the steps of: a) providing a lignocellulosic feedstock comprising glucan and xylan; b) contacting the feedstock with water in the presence of an acid catalyst to form a mixture; c) contacting the mixture formed in step b) with at least one water-immiscible organic solvent in a reactor and heating to a temperature from about 100° C. to about 220° C. to form a mixture comprising an aqueous phase and a furfural-containing organic phase, wherein the organic solvent and water are present in a weight ratio in the range of 7.7:1 to 32.1:1, wherein the organic phase further comprises 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural, and the weight ratio of furfural to 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural in the organic phase is at least 10:1 or higher, and wherein the water-immiscible organic solvent comprises at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon, cycloalkane, aromatic hydrocarbon, polyether containing ester or ether end groups, plant-derived oil, or mixtures thereof; and d) recovering furfural from the organic phase.