Selective oxidation of biomass derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-diformylfuran using sodium nitrite

A mild and simple process for the effective oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF) into 2,5-diformylfuran(DFF) has been developed using Na NO_2 as the oxidant. Some important reaction parameters were investigated to optimize the oxidation of HMF into DFF. It was found that the reaction solvent was very crucial for this reaction. Trifluoroacetic acid was the best solvent for the oxidation of HMF into DFF by Na NO_2.Under the optimal reaction condition, almost quantitative HMF conversion and high DFF yield of 90.4% were obtained after 1 h at room temperature.