Hydrogenation of Furfural and Furfuryl Alcohol. IV. Hydrogenation of Furfural into Furfaryl (Tetrahydrofurfuryl) Alcohol by the Combination of Copper Chromium Oxide Catalyst and Nickel Kieselguhr Catalyst

Abstract

Abstract 1. Furfural was hydrogenated into furfuryl alcohol by using copper chromium oxide catalyst under high pressure. Then the product was further hydrogenated by adding nickel kieselguhr catalyst, without separation and purification of furfuryl alcohol. The hydrogenation proceeded rapidly and furfaryl alcohol about 83–84% of the theoretical yield was obtained. 2. Furfural was hydrgenated by using copper chromium oxide catalyst and nickel kieselguhr catalyst, which were prepared separately before use. The hydrogenation proceeded rapidly, and furfaryl alcohol, (about 74∼79% of the theoretical yield) was obtained, which is slightly lower than in the above procedure. 3. The mixture of Cu(OH)(NH4)(CrO4) and nickelcarbonate kieselguhr, mixed mechanically or in the state of precipitates, was used for the hydrogenation of furfural, after reducing it with hydrogen or after thermal decomposition without reduction. The results was less satisfactory compared with the above two procedures.