Catalytic aerobic oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid using Co–Mn/N–C catalysts in aqueous media

Abstract

Aerobic oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) can yield numerous furan-based chemicals, and enhancing the selectivity for specific products poses a significant challenge. In this study, a novel non-noble bimetallic catalyst supported on N-doped carbon (Co–Mn/N–C) was designed and synthesized, and various characterization techniques, including XRD, BET analysis, TEM, XPS and VSM studies, were employed to investigate the catalyst's structure and properties. Catalytic testing studies demonstrated that Co–Mn/N–C exhibits superior catalytic performance in the selective oxidation of HMF to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) in aqueous media, outperforming both Co/N–C and Mn/N–C catalysts. Nearly 100% HMF conversion and 98.3% selectivity towards FDCA were achieved using the Co–Mn/N–C catalyst at 150 °C with Na₂CO₃ (0.5 mmol) as a base. Furthermore, the Co–Mn/N–C catalyst exhibited good stability, maintaining its catalytic activity throughout the recycling experiments. This stable performance is attributed to the robust interaction between the metal and nitrogen-carbon materials.