Efficient Synthesis of 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid from Furfural Based Platform through Aqueous-Phase Carbonylation

Deriving bulk chemicals from sustainable biomass for chemical industries has become a worldwide consensus because of the rapid depletion of fossil feedstock. Here, synthesis of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), an alternative to p-phthalic acid, from furfural based platform molecule was explored. Using 5-bromo-furoic acid as the starting chemical which has been industrially available through bromination of furoic acid, 98% yield of FDCA can be achieved by catalytic carbonylation in aqueous solution with palladium catalyst, and FDCA separation can be easily performed through simple acidification of reaction media in large-scale synthesis. This new route to FDCA has offered furfural a promising subchemical with a large market. Meanwhile, it also provides an alternative source to FDCA originating from C5 based bulk biomass, that is, hemicellulose, thus offering an opportunity to relieve the current stress in FDCA synthesis from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural originally from cellulose to replace p-phthalic acid in polymer industry.