The decomposition of model substances—hexose catalyzed by strong acidic resins instead of inorganic acids was studied. With a small high-pressure batch reactor

decomposition kinetics of glucose and fructose catalyzed by Amberlyst 35W and 36W resins were determined. The results showed that although addition of 35W resin had little influence on the isomerization from glucose to fructose

the reactions for dehydration of fructose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and hydrolysis of 5-hydromethylfurfural to levulinic acid were greatly sped up

resulting in higher levulinic acid yield. With 0. 2 g of the 35W resin amount added

the activation energies estimated were 111 kJ·mol-1 for glucose decomposition and 97.0 kJ·mol-1 for fructose decomposition. Also

it was found that Amberlyst 36W showed similar catalytic behavior as 35W and both 35W and 36W can be reused without decrease of activity. The work proved the possibility of substituting inorganic acid with strong acidic resins for levulinic acid preparation from biomass.