Triflic-Acid-Bound Poly(4-vinylpyridinium) System (PVP-TfOH): A Highly Sustainable Catalyst for Conversion of Glucose to 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in Aqueous Media

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is an important platform molecule that produces numerous industrially significant chemicals with diverse applications. Although the ecofriendly synthesis of HMF is important for a green and sustainable future, the available methods are cumbersome in terms of solvent and reaction conditions. In this prospect, we report a highly efficient PVP-TfOH catalyst for converting glucose to HMF with 81.5% yield (mol %) in an aqueous medium. The catalytic system showed outstanding performance and recyclability up to 10 test cycles owing to the unique intrinsic acidic framework created by the chemical interplay between the polymer and organic acid.