Production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from glucose was studied in ionic liquids in the presence of hydroxyapatite supported chromium chloride (Cr-HAP) using oil-bath heating and microwave irradiation (MI). Compared with oil-bath heating, the MI way obviously increased HMF yield and reduced the reaction time from days to several minutes. A maximum HMF yield of 40% was obtained from the dehydration of glucose under MI in 2.5 min. This method is potential as an energy-efficient and cost-effective approach for the conversion of biomass into platform chemicals. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.