Selective oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid catalyzed by a molybdenum complex supported on silica-coated cobalt ferrite magnetic nanoparticles

Selective oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (HMFCA) plays a crucial role in the sustainable production of bio-based chemicals and fuels. In this work, we reported a novel heterogeneous catalyst consisting of a molybdenum complex immobilized on silica-coated cobalt ferrite magnetic nanoparticles (CoFe2O4/SiO2) for the efficient and selective oxidation of HMF to HMFCA. Comprehensive characterization by FT-IR, EDS, ICP-OES, XRD, TEM, and VSM confirmed the catalyst’s structural integrity, morphology, chemical composition, and magnetic properties. The catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic performance, achieving 91.8% conversion of HMF and 89.2% yield of HMFCA at 80 °C within 90 min, with a selectivity of 97.2%. Furthermore, the catalyst demonstrated remarkable stability and recyclability over multiple cycles, with negligible molybdenum leaching. Its magnetic nature enabled facile separation using an external magnet, highlighting its potential for practical and sustainable catalytic applications.