The Increasing Value of Biomass: Moving From C6 Carbohydrates to Multifunctionalized Building Blocks via 5‐(hydroxymethyl)furfural

Recent decades have been marked by enormous progress in the field of synthesis and chemistry of 5‐(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF), an important platform chemical widely recognized as the “sleeping giant” of sustainable chemistry. This multifunctional furanic compound is viewed as a strong link for the transition from the current fossil‐based industry to a sustainable one. However, the low chemical stability of HMF significantly undermines its synthetic potential. A possible solution to this problem is synthetic diversification of HMF by modifying it into more stable multifunctional building blocks for further synthetic purposes. Green, renewable, versatile: 5‐(Hydroxymethyl)furfural is a known platform chemical for the transition to sustainable chemical industry. Achilles heel of HMF is its low chemical stability. Here we describe the possibilities of HMF diversification into more stable multifunctional derivatives as a means of increasing the competitiveness of HMF‐based biorefining.