Oxidation and Reduction of Biomass-Derived 5-(Hydroxymethyl)furfural and Levulinic Acid by Nanocatalysis

Abstract

Nanocatalysis combines the advantageous characteristics of both homogenous and heterogeneous catalysis while reducing their respective drawbacks. In recent years, nanocatalysts are increasingly being used in the chemical-catalytic conversion of biomass into value-added fuels and specialty chemicals. 5-(Hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF) and levulinic acid (LA) are well-documented biomass-derived chemical intermediates that can be synthetically modified into products of commercial significance. Nanocatalysts have played a crucial role in the selective oxidation and reduction of HMF and LA into high-value compounds. In some cases, nanocatalysts provide selectivity and reactivity under relatively mild reaction conditions that could not be achieved by conventional homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysts. Over the years, a thorough understanding of the size-dependent properties of nanoparticles, the interactions among various components of catalysts including support materials, and the interactions of starting materials or products with the catalytic materials have helped in fine-tuning the new generation of nanocatalysts for unprecedented reactivities and selectivities toward the products of interest. In this chapter, the use of nanocatalysts for the selective oxidation and reduction of HMF and LA into valuable chemicals is elaborated, and the future prospects of nanocatalysts in this area are appraised. © 2020 American Chemical Society.