Efficient Method for Synthesis of 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid from 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural and Fructose Using Pd/CC Catalyst under Aqueous Conditions

Pd/CC catalyst was synthesized from readily available biomass-derived d-glucose. The catalyst was characterized using various techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, scanning electron microscopy, 13C cross polarization NMR, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis. This catalyst showed excellent catalytic activity toward the synthesis of industrially important 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and fructose. The process is simple, efficient, green, and industrially feasible. Oxidation of HMF proceeded in 85% yield, and dehydration of fructose followed by oxidation gave 64% yield of FDCA with 100% purity using Pd/CC catalyst and molecular O2 as an oxidizing agent under aqueous reaction conditions. The one pot two step procedure is highly efficient for synthesis of FDCA from fructose as it avoids isolation of HMF and requires a single catalyst for two different steps. FDCA finds utility in next-generation bioplastic poly(ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PEF), which is a replacement for fossil-fuel-based poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET).