LAUSR

2,5-Bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF) as well as furfuryl alcohol (FFA) is considered as a highly valuable biomass-derived alcohol resembling aromatic monomers in polymer synthesis. Herein, a series of cobaltic nitrogen-doped carbon (Co-NC) catalysts calcinated at different temperatures were synthesized and tested for the solvent-free hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to prepare BHMF. It was found that the Co-NC catalyst calcinated at 600 ºC (Co-NC-600) exhibits a superior catalytic activity in the hydrogenation reaction mainly due to the doping of graphitic N, which probably facilitates the polarization of H 2 to afford H + and H - . Consequently, Co-NC-600 offered a high BHMF/FFA yield greater than 90% with a nearly complete conversion of HMF/FF at the optimal conditions (80 °C, 4 h and 5 MPa H 2 ). After the hydrogenation reaction, Co-NC catalyst was facilely recycled by magnetic separation and the obtained BHMF/FFA was then successfully transformed into hypercross-linked polymers (HCPs) with an excellent CO 2 /H 2 storage capacity comparable to aromatic hydroxymethyl polymers. Therefore, this is a novel and facile two-step pathway for the conversion of biomass-derived HMF/FF towards functional polymers from both industrial and environmental perspectives.