Catalytic synthesis of value-added chemicals from renewable biomass or biomass-derived platform chemicals is an important way to reduce current dependence on fossil-fuel resources. In recent years, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) has received significant attention due to its wide application in many fields, particularly as a substitute of petrochemical-derived terephthalic acid in the synthesis of useful polymers. Therefore, much effort has been devoted to the catalytic synthesis of FDCA. In this critical review, we will provide an overview of concise and up-to-date methods for the synthesis of FDCA from HMF oxidation or directly from carbohydrates by one-pot reaction, giving special attention to catalytic systems, mechanistic insight, reaction pathway, and catalyst stability. In addition, the one-pot oxidative conversion of carbohydrates into FDCA and the one-pot synthesis of FDCA derivatives are also discussed. It is anticipated that the chemistry detailed in this review will guide researchers to develop effective catalysts for the economical and environmentally friendly synthesis of FDCA in large-scale.

Black BiOCl with oxygen vacancies was prepared by UV light irradiation with Ar blowing. The as-prepared black BiOCl sample showed 20 times higher visible light photocatalytic activity than white BiOCl for RhB degradation. The trapping experiment showed that the superoxide radical (O(2)(•-)) and holes (h(+)) were the main active species in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation.

Pure rutile nanorods were synthesized by hydrolysis of TiCl4 ethanolic solution in water at 50 °C. The assembly of rutile nanorods could be controlled through simply changing the molar ratios of TiCl4, ethanol, and water, resulting in different superstructures with flower- or urchinlike morphologies. The resulting samples were characterized with X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, nitrogen sorption, and UV−vis diffuse reflectance spectrum. A possible mechanism for the growth and assembly of rutile nanorod superstructures was proposed on the basis of characterization results. More importantly, we found that those low temperature synthesized superstructures showed significantly higher photocatalytic activities than commercial photocatalyst P25 on degradation of rhodamine B in water under artificial solar light. This study provides a simple and inexpensive way to prepare high active rutile nanorods superstructures photocatalysts on a large scale.