MIL-47(v)-derived carbon-doped vanadium oxide for selective oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-diformylfuran

The development and transformation of biomass-derived platform compounds is a sustainable way to deal with the fossil fuel crisis. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) can be reduced or oxidized to produce many high-value compounds; however, it is challenging to effectively produce 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) due to overoxidation. In this work, a carbon-doped V2O5 (C-V2O5) material was obtained through pyrol-ysis of MIL-47(V) nanorods, a typical metal-organic framework material. The X-ray diffraction patterns and X-ray photoelectron spectra showed that the graphitized carbon species were incorporated in C-V2O5. High-efficiency HMF oxidation, high specific selectivity for DFF and excellent recycling could be achieved with the C-V2O5 catalyst. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculation revealed that graphitized carbon weakens the VvO bond and promotes the for-mation of oxygen vacancies in C-V2O5, thus improving the catalytic activity in the oxidation of furfuryl alcohols. The V4+ induced by oxygen vacancies will be oxidized by O-2 to form V5+, so that the cycle can be realized. It exhibits remarkable selectivity in the oxidation of different alcohols produced from biomass based on the relatively constant active sites in C-V2O5.

Automated summary

The development and transformation of biomass-derived platform compounds is a sustainable solution for the fossil fuel crisis. This study successfully synthesized a carbon-doped V2O5 material and achieved efficient oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and excellent selectivity for 2,5-diformylfuran. The incorporation of graphitized carbon species in the catalyst structure enhanced catalytic activity by weakening VvO bonds and promoting the formation of oxygen vacancies.