Recent Advances in the Catalytic Hydroconversion of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to Valuable Diols

Abstract

Biomass, a globally available resource, is a promising alternative feedstock for fossil fuels, especially considering the current energy crisis and pollution. Biomass-derived diols, such as 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan, 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-tetrahydrofuran, and 1,6-hexanediol, are a significant class of monomers in the polyester industry. Therefore, the catalytic conversion of biomass to valuable diols has received extensive research attention in the field of biomass conversion and is a crucial factor in determining the development of the polyester industry. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is an important biomass-derived compound with a C6-furanic framework. The hydroconversion of HMF into diols has the advantages of being simple to operate, inexpensive, environmentally friendly, safe, and reliable. Therefore, in the field of diol synthesis, this method is regarded as a promising approach with significant industrialization potential. This review summarizes recent advances in diol formation, discusses the roles of catalysts in the hydroconversion process, highlights the reaction mechanisms associated with the specificities of each active center, and provides an outlook on the challenges and opportunities associated with the research on biomass-derived diol synthesis.

Advances in Selective Hydrogenation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural over Heterogeneous Metal Catalysts

“…and non-precious metal (Cu, Fe, Ni, Co, etc.) mono-and bimetallic multiphase catalysts have matured and have been implemented in HMF hydrogenation [9,31].…”

“…Biomass can be used to produce a wide range of chemicals, fuels and materials to promote sustainable development [5][6][7]. These advantages have attracted wide attention from academia and industry, especially in response to the growing demand for fuels and chemicals [8,9].…”

“…Optimization of non-precious metal-based systems could be achieved by combining with other metals and by selecting appropriate carriers and solvents to make mono-and bimetallic multiphase catalysts. So, as long as their activity, selectivity and stability are very efficacious, they will promote the effective reduction of HMF [9,19,27,28]. As a potential way to replace traditional H 2 -mediated hydrogenation reactions, catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) employs renewable and liquid organic hydrogen donors (e.g., alcohols, formic acid, etc.)…”

Reduced metal nanocatalysts for selective electrochemical hydrogenation of biomass-derived 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural to 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan in ambient conditions

“…The presence of primary hydroxyl (-OH) and formyl (-C=O) in HMF makes it suitable for converting to various kinds of sustainable biochemicals ( Xia et al, 2018 ; Mittal et al, 2020 ; Huang et al, 2022 ). One of the most important chemicals that could be produced by the selective hydrogenation of the formyl group of HMF is 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-furan (BHMF) ( Xia et al, 2018 ).…”