Valorization of biomass-derived furfurals: reactivity patterns, synthetic strategies, and applications

Abstract

The expertise of synthetic organic chemistry accumulated over the past century has been instrumental in converting biomass to fuels, chemicals, and materials. Particular emphasis has been attributed to using eco-friendly reagents and reaction conditions by adhering to the principles of green chemistry. Catalysis remains at the heart of organic synthesis and has a ubiquitous presence in the organic chemistry literature. Not surprisingly, catalytic processes are increasingly used in the chemistry of renewables under commercially relevant and environmentally acceptable conditions. In this review, the synthesis of various biofuels and renewable chemicals from biomass-derived furfural and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural has been elaborated. Synthetic upgrading of furfurals has been shown in the light of chemical modifications of the reactive sites present in them. This review aims to provide a critical understanding of the influence of synthetic organic chemistry in biomass value addition via the furanic platform. This work will encourage the researchers to improve the existing synthetic pathways, develop new synthetic strategies, and broaden the scope of applications for biorenewable products. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.