Biobased production of furfural has been known for decades. Nevertheless, bioeconomy and circular economy concepts is much more recent and has motivated a regain of interest of dedicated research to improve production modes and expand potential uses. Accordingly, this review paper aims essentially at outlining recent breakthroughs obtained in the field of furfural production from sugars and polysaccharides feedstocks. The review discusses advances obtained in major production pathways recently explored splitting in the following categories: (i) non-catalytic routes like use of critical solvents or hot water pretreatment, (ii) use of various homogeneous catalysts like mineral or organic acids, metal salts or ionic liquids, (iii) feedstock dehydration making use of various solid acid catalysts; (iv) feedstock dehydration making use of supported catalysts, (v) other heterogeneous catalytic routes. The paper also briefly overviews current understanding of furfural chemical synthesis and its underpinning mechanism as well as safety issues pertaining to the substance. Eventually, some remaining research topics are put in perspective for further optimization of biobased furfural production.

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Carbon-carbon cross-coupling reactions are among the most important processes in organic chemistry and Suzuki-Miyaura reactions are the most widely used protocols. For a decade, green chemistry and particularly catalysis and continuous flow, have shown immense potential in achieving the goals of "greener synthesis". To date, it seems difficult to conceive the chemistry of the 21st century without the industrialization of continuous flow process in the area of pharmaceuticals, drugs, agrochemicals, polymers, etc. A large variety of palladium Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions have been developed using a continuous flow sequence for preparing the desired biaryl derivatives. Our objective is to focus this review on the continuous flow Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling using homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts.