Selective reduction of biomass by hydriodic acid and its in situ regeneration from iodine by metal/hydrogen.

HI returns: Hydroiodic acid is a highly selective reducing reagent for a wide variety of substrates. Its application is limited by the formation of iodine and the difficulty in reconverting that iodione back to HI in situ. We report the facile conversion of I(2) to HI by metal-catalyzed hydrogenation in the presence of water, and demonstrate the utility of this process in the conversion of fructose to 5-methyfurfural and glycerol to 2-iodopropane.