From biomass to C4 chemicals: selective transformation of bio-based furans to succinic anhydride in the presence of oxygen

Abstract

Succinic anhydride (SAN), a C4 bulk chemical, is selectively produced from bio-based furans with a simple metalloporphyrin as the catalyst under visible light. Typically, 99% conversion of furfuryl alcohol with 87.7% selectivity toward SAN was obtained in the presence of zinc(II) tetraphenyl porphyrin (ZnTPP) as the photocatalyst. It is confirmed that the generation of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) plays a crucial role in the transformation of furanic derivatives.