PIC catalysis based on polyoxometalates promoting 5-HMF oxidation in H2O/MIBK biphase

Novel polyoxometalate (POM) Pickering interfacial catalyst (PIC) was fabricated through loading (NH4)5H6PMo4V8O40 (PMo4V8) on both alkyl and alkyl-amino groups functionalized silica nanoparticles. PMo4V8/SiO2(C8/C8NH2 with molar ratio as 1:1) PIC system provided a new catalytic model for aerobic conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), as well as its recovery and product separation in H2O/methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) biphase reaction. Balancing the ratio of PMo4V8, C8 and C8NH2 gave rise to variety in hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity for PMo4V8/SiO2(C8/C8NH2), which enhanced the transformation of 5-HMF to 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) in H2O/MIBK with 73.7% yield at 81.8% conversion than in H2O or MIBK single phase.