Strategies to increase catalytic efficiency of manganese‐catalyzed aerobic oxidation of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural

Abstract The aerobic oxidation of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) into 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), a bio‐based plastic monomer, is an important process for the valorization of biomass. Here, manganese oxides of various oxidation states with identical morphologies and similar surface areas were synthesized by introducing oxygen vacancy sites, and they were investigated as heterogeneous catalysts for HMF oxidation. Mn 2 O 3 exhibited a remarkable catalytic efficiency due to synergistic effect of the oxidation state of metal moieties, the basicity of the catalyst, and oxygen mobility of the oxide materials under basic condition.