Copper-catalyzed oxidative methyl-esterification of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural using TBHP as an oxidizing and methylating reagent: A new approach for the synthesis of furan-2,5-dimethylcarboxylate

Catalytic conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) into furan-2,5-dimethylcarboxylate (FDMC) is of great significance in the production of polyethylene furanoate (PEF), a renewable biomass-derived polymer that can replace the fossil dependent polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Herein, for the first time, we report the synthesis of FDMC from oxidative methyl-esterification of HMF using tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as an oxidizing and methylating reagent catalyzed by mesoporous alumina nanospheres-embedded with CuO nanoparticles (CuO/m-Al2O3). The CuO/m-Al2O3 catalysts with different copper contents were prepared by evaporation-induced self-assembly of a structure-directing agent (Pluronic P-123). The decomposition of P-123 during calcination in air results into the formation of a mesoporous structure with highly dispersed CuO nanoparticles. The as-prepared 6-CuO/m-Al2O3 exhibits excellent catalytic activity towards oxidative methyl-esterification of HMF into FDMC with 92% yield and turnover frequency (TOF) of 0.56 h−1. Furthermore, oxidative methyl-esterification of a range of substrates through SP3 CH bond functionalization has also been demonstrated using the same catalyst.