Valorization of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid. Diels–Alder reactions with benzyne

Abstract

Biomass-derived 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid was valorized by conversion to 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid via benzyne-cycloaddition and reductive aromatization in 66% overall yield (four steps). Two novel bicyclic intermediates were isolated in 80% and 98% yield. These advances diversify the potential end uses of renewable terephalic acid analogs and other furanics available from cellulose biorefinery.