Reaction of furan compounds with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of vanadium catalysts

The reactions of furan and a number of its derivatives (furfural, furan-2-carboxylic acid, 2-furfuryl alcohol, and others), in systems containing H₂O₂ and vanadium compounds, proceed through a mechanism of radical hydoxylation of the furan ring with the formation of 5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone and maleic acid. The total yield and ratio of the synthesized compounds depend on the reaction conditions.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 11, pp. 1462–1467, November, 1991.