Ruthenium nanoparticles supported on N-containing mesoporous polymer catalyzed aerobic oxidation of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF)

[Display omitted] A mesoporous poly-melamine-formaldehyde material embedded ruthenium nanoparticles (Ru@mPMF) has been synthesized and characterized exhibits excellent catalytity in the field of aerobic oxidation of biomass derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) in toluene. •N-containing polymer supported RuNPs catalyst was synthesized and characterized.•This catalyst shows excellent catalytic activity towards HMF to DFF oxidation.•For this oxidation molecular O2 was used as oxidant.•Above aerobic oxidation reactions are optimized.•This catalyst can be recycled upto six times. Ruthenium nanoparticles embedded on a mesoporous poly-melamine-formaldehyde material (Ru@mPMF) has been synthesized and characterized by powder XRD, HRTEM, TGA, SEM, EDS, UV–vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS), Raman spectroscopy, XPS and N2 adsorption/desorption study. The Ru@mPMF catalyst was excellent for selective oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) in toluene. Moreover, this catalyst is easily recoverable and it is reusable upto six cycles without notable decrease in its catalytic activity. Profoundly scattered and firmly bound Ru-NPs sites in mPMF might be engaged for the excellent performance of the material. Due to strong binding with the functional groups of the polymer, no indication of ruthenium leaching was there during the reaction. This suggests the actual heterogeneous nature of the material.