Insights into the Oxidative Esterification of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Toward Furan-2,5-dimethylcarboxylate over MnO@Co-CN Catalyst

As a versatile platform molecule derived from biomass, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) has the potential to be transformed into a variety of chemicals. Of these, furan-2,5-dimethylcarboxylate (FDMC) stands out as an excellent precursor for the synthesis of poly(ethylene furandicarboxylate) (PEF), a polymer with broad applications in the production of various polymeric materials. However, a majority of studies have focused on the use of noble metal catalysts to achieve the direct oxidative esterification of HMF for the production of FDMC. Given the scarcity and high cost of noble metal catalysts, there is a pressing need to develop non-noble metal catalysts to efficiently facilitate the direct oxidative esterification of HMF. Accordingly, a bimetallic catalyst, MnO@Co-CN, was prepared in this paper by a simple coprecipitation method, and a 90.3% FDMC yield was obtained under optimal conditions. The findings revealed that in the oxidative esterification of HMF, MnO_x predominantly adsorbs the reactants onto the catalyst surface, whereas CoO_x is primarily responsible for the oxidation. The synergistic interaction between Mn and Co enhances the catalytic performance, leading to the superior oxidative esterification outcomes. This work offers a cost-effective, scalable method for FDMC synthesis, highlighting potential for industrial applications.