Biomass-derived 6-hydroxy-6-hydroxymethyl-2H-pyran-3(6H)-one: Green synthesis and antibacterial potential

"Defossilization" of the chemical value chain is increasingly competitive in tomorrow's sector. Herein, a green synthesis of 6-hydroxy-6-hydroxymethyl-2H-pyran-3(6H)-one with high yield (98.1%) from bio-based feedstock 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan and evaluation for the antibacterial behavior against both Gram-positive (S. aureus, B. subtilis) and Gram-negative (E. coli, P. aeruginosa) bacteria are reported. With the concentration of 20 mg/mL, the pyrone molecular is extremely sensitive for the four selected germs determined by inhibition zone qualitative assay, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) is 0.3125 mg/mL towards all. Taking advantages of good degradability and potential broad-spectrum antibacterial activities, biomass-derived pyrones are expected to drive the development of the alternative in terms of both functionality and sustainability.