Photoelectrochemical Oxidation in Ambient Conditions Using Earth-Abundant Hematite Anode: A Green Route for the Synthesis of Biobased Polymer Building Blocks

This study demonstrates the use of a photoelectrochemical device comprising earth-abundant hematite photoanode for oxidation 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), versatile bio-based platform chemical, under ambient conditions in presence an electron mediator. The results obtained this showed that photoanode, upon doping with fluorine, can oxidize water even at lower pH (4.5 and 9.0). For 5-HMF oxidation, three different were investigated, complete to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) via 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic (HMFCA) was achieved above 12. At pH, followed another route 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF), yielding 5-formyl-2-furancarboxylic (FFCA) as main product. Using oxidized intermediates substrates DFF be most efficiently FDCA. We also show that, 4.5, addition laccase enzyme promoted FFCA.