Catalytic routes towards bio-renewable glucaric acid

Biomass-derived glucaric acid has the potential to become an important bio-derived chemical due to its wide range of potential industrial applications, but most notably due to its application as detergent builder as a substitute for phosphates or citric acid and, as a precursor to renewable adipic acid. Typically, glucaric acid is synthesised from the oxidation of glucose, which involves using nitric acid as a stoichiometric oxidant, which brings about problems in pollution, separation and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Other routes are being explored and chemo- catalysis has received considerable interest, with several companies taking steps to begin large-scale commercialisation of these routes to glucaric acid and derivatives using heterogeneous catalysts. In this perspective review, we summarise the recent scientific and patent literature and critically evaluate the merits of each of the emerging routes towards glucaric acid.