Catalytic Air Oxidation of Biomass-Derived Carbohydrates to Formic Acid

An efficient catalytic system for biomass oxidation to form formic acid was developed. The conversion of glucose to formic acid can reach up to 52 % yield within 3 h when catalyzed by 5 mol % of H5PV2Mo10O40 at only 373 K using air as the oxidant. Furthermore, the heteropolyacid can be used as a bifunctional catalyst in the conversion of cellulose to formic acid (yield=35 %) with air as the oxidant. Breathing life into new conversions: An efficient conversion of biomass‐derived carbohydrates into formic acid (FA) can be achieved when catalyzed by H5PV2Mo10O40, which can also be used for the conversion of cellulose into FA. X‐ray photoelectron spectra and reactions of possible intermediates indirectly shed light on the reaction mechanism involving electron and oxygen transfer processes.