Coffee residue has been successfully used to produce sulfonated carbon catalysts (SCAC).
Sulfonation temperature affects SO3H density and O/C ratio of SCAC catalysts.
High catalytic activity and catalyst stability were achieved in SCAC catalysts.
SCAC has unique properties with high surface area and balancing of acid sites.
SCAC could be regenerated to obtain its initial catalytic activity by MeOH washing.