Optimisation of the synthesis of 5‐chloromethyl‐2‐furancarboxaldehyde from D‐fructose dehydration and in‐situ chlorination of 5‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐furancarboxaldehyde

A stepwise method for the conversion of D-fructose into 5-chloromethyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde is described. The sugar was first subjected to acid-catalysed dehydration in N,N-dimethylformamide to give 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde as an intermediate. The latter was then chlorinated in situ with phosphorylchloride, to give the named chloro-compound in an 85% overall yield, in the absence of any humic matter or tarry product.