Vesicle-combined PtBi/C catalyst for base-free conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid

Abstract A conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-frandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) was catalyzed by a catalyst of PtBi-activated carbon (PtBi/C) combined with vesicles made of phospholipid. No alteration of electron state of PtBi/C by vesicles was observed. However, FDCA was obtained under mild temperature and base-free conditions. The yield of FDCA depended on a hydration nature of vesicles. It was therefore suggested that vesicles gave a bound water as a novel driving force of the reaction. The present finding would explore an application of vesicles to new catalytic reactions different from conventional biochemical reactions.