Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) derivatives are newly developed biorenewable chemicals that could potentially be used in a broad array of industrial products and chemical manufacturing applications. This potential has long been recognized. Now, several HMF derivatives can be successfully produced via catalytic oxidation.

HMF oxidation occurs sequentially though several intermediate products. Methods now have been developed to form the various oxidation products with good selectivities and in high yields using continuous catalytic processes with air as oxidant.

Catalytic reduction is readily controlled to afford either the partially reduced FDM or the fully reduced THFDM.