Patent ID: 8524925

Claim:
A process comprising: a) providing an aqueous solution comprising a metal halide, a water-miscible organic solvent, a mineral acid, and water; b) providing a feedstock comprising at least one selected from: i) lignocellulosic feedstock containing glucan and xylan, ii) hemicellulosic material, iii) C 5 sugar monomers and —C 5 oligomers; c) contacting the feedstock with the aqueous solution to form a reaction mixture, wherein i) the concentration of water-miscible organic solvent is from about 10 weight percent to about 80 weight percent, ii) the concentration of metal halide is from about 0.1 weight percent to about 2 weight percent, iii) the mineral acid concentration is from about 0.5 to about 4 weight percent; and iv) the feedstock is present at about 1 to about 50 weight percent, wherein the weight percentages are based on the total weight of the reaction mixture; and d) heating the reaction mixture at a temperature in the range of about 140° C. to about 190° C. for a time sufficient to effect a reaction to produce furfural, wherein the aqueous solution remains monophasic at the reaction temperature and at the completion of the reaction.