Highly Selective Production of Formic Acid from Complex, Water-Insoluble Biomass Using a Homogeneous Polyoxometalate Catalyst

The here presented study shows a cheap and straightforward method for converting different kinds of water-soluble and complex biomass in a very robust and selective oxidation reaction to formic acid and pure CO₂ by using water as solvent, oxygen or air as oxidant and POMs as homogeneous catalysts.