ABSTRACT The catalytic conversion of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) has attracted significant attention, owing to FDCA acting as a sustainable alternative to petroleum‐derived terephthalic acid. However, the synthesis of the catalyst with high catalytic performance under mild reaction conditions remains a challenge. Herein, we developed a series of Co/Mn/N ternary‐doped hollow mesoporous carbon nanospheres (Co x Mn y @N‐HMCNs) derived from Co, Mn porphyrin as a catalyst for the base‐free oxidation of HMF to FDCA at atmospheric pressure. Remarkably, the optimized catalyst (Co 1.5 Mn 1.5 @N‐HMCNs) exhibited exceptional catalytic performance, with 100% HMF conversion and 90.1% FDCA yield while maintaining robust stability over six consecutive runs. Detailed characterization revealed that Mn doping not only induces a synergistic effect with Co species to enhance the catalytic activity, but also modifies the pyridinic N content. The dual boosts collectively enhance both the catalytic activity and stability of Co 1.5 Mn 1.5 @N‐HMCNs for the base‐free oxidation of HMF to FDCA at atmospheric pressure.
Li et al. (2026) studied this question.