Advances in the Energy-Saving Electro-Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid

As a pivotal bio-based building block, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) holds immense and broad application potential in the chemistry industry. Its polymeric derivative, polyethylene furandicarboxylate (PEF), emerges as an appealing alternative to conventional petroleum-based polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The electrochemical route for oxidizing 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) into FDCA presents significant advantages over the thermochemical processes, without the requirements of high temperature, high pressure, chemical oxidants, and precious metal catalysts, featuring higher energy efficiency. Furthermore, the electrosynthesis of FDCA at the anode can be synergistically integrated with selective reduction reactions at the cathode, enabling the simultaneous production of two desirable value-added products and further enhancing overall energy utilization efficiency. This work reviews the advancements in electrocatalytic HMF to FDCA (EHTF), encompassing catalyst design, reaction mechanisms, coupling strategies, and reactor configurations. It also indicates the challenges and opportunities of EHTF and provides insights into the future development directions.