Conversion of organosolv pretreated hardwood biomass into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) by combining enzymatic hydrolysis and isomerization with homogeneous catalysis.

Overall, this work shows the feasibility of coupling bio- and chemo-catalytic processes to produce HMF from lignocellulose in an environmentally friendly manner. Further work for the deployment of biocatalysts for the oxidation of HMF to its derivatives could pave the way for the emergence of an integrated process to effectively produce biobased monomers from lignocellulose.