Manganese doped graphene oxide: Selective hydrogenation catalyst for converting 5-hydroxymethyl furfural to 5-methyl furfural

Developing a sustainable catalytic system for the production of fuels and chemicals from biomass remains a vital and challenging process. In this context, the selective hydrogenation of the biomass-derived molecule 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 5-methylfurfural (MF) with molecular hydrogen is one of the most important transformations but it is a difficult task because the C=O bond reduction in HMF is highly favorable than C-OH. This reaction finds applications in diverse sectors, including pharmaceuticals, and petrochemicals, etc. In this article, we report the use of manganese functionalized graphene oxide as heterogeneous catalysts for the conversion of HMF to MF, utilizing H2 as a reducing agent. The synergistic effect between graphene oxide and MnOx are responsible for the activation of C-OH in the reaction. This work unlocks the potential of the earth abundant metal-based catalyst for the selective hydrogenation of renewable biomass to chemical feedstocks.