V-doped MoO3 nanorods for highly selective oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to bio-monomer 2, 5-furandicarboxylic acid

2,5-Furanodicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is a significant chemical derived from biomass and holds the potential to replace traditional petrochemicals in the production of biodegradable polyester materials. In this study, a series of new-type V-doped MoO3 catalysts with different crystalline phases were prepared through the hydrothermal method. The V-doped α-MoO3 with growth along the [010] crystal plane demonstrated the most efficient catalytic activity in the selective oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to produce FDCA, potentially attributable to the [010] crystal plane's superior affinity for substrate interactions. The catalysts were analyzed using TEM, XPS, XRD, FT-IR, N2 adsorption isotherms and other characterization techniques. The Box-Behnken response surface method was utilized to investigate and successfully determine the optimal reaction conditions. A remarkable HMF conversion of 99.5% and a 97.4% selectivity toward FDCA were achieved at 80 °C after 10 h using tert-butanol as the solvent and tert-butyl hydroperoxide as the oxidant. Furthermore, the catalyst could be readily recovered conveniently and reused without any significant loss in catalytic activity.