Multistep Biooxidation of 5‐(Hydroxymethyl)furfural to 2,5‐Furandicarboxylic Acid with H₂O₂ by Unspecific Peroxygenases

Abstract

5‐(Hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF) is a key platform chemical derived from renewable biomass sources, holding great potential as starting material for the synthesis of valuable compounds, thereby replacing petrochemical‐derived counterparts. Among these valorised compounds, 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) has emerged as a versatile building block. Here we demonstrate the biocatalytic synthesis of FDCA from HMF via a one‐pot three‐step oxidative cascade performed via two operative steps under mild reaction conditions employing two unspecific peroxygenases (UPOs) using hydrogen peroxide as the only oxidant. The challenge of HMF oxidation by UPOs is the chemoselectivity of the first step, as one of the two possible oxidation products is only a poor substrate for further oxidation. The unspecific peroxygenase from Marasmius oreades (MorUPO) was found to oxidize 100 mM of HMF to 5‐formyl‐2‐furoic acid (FFCA) with 95% chemoselectivity. In the sequential one‐pot cascade employing MorUPO (TON up to 13535) and the UPO from Agrocybe aegerita (AaeUPO, TON up to 7079), 100 mM of HMF were oxidized to FDCA reaching up to 99% conversion and yielding 861 mg isolated pure crystalline FDCA, presenting the first example of a gram scale biocatalytic synthesis of FDCA involving UPOs.