Metal-Free Hydrogenation of Biomass Derived Furfural into Furfuryl Alcohol Over Carbon–MgO Catalysts in Continuous Mode

Abstract

With the aim of producing high potential biomass derived chemicals and biofuels in safe environment, carbon–MgO composite (MgO-CX, X = wt% of carbon content) eco-friendly metal-free catalysts have been prepared via in-situ transformation technique using rice grain as carbon precursor. All these MgO-CX catalysts are characterized by X-ray diffraction, BET surface area, temperature programmed desorption of CO2, Raman and FT-IR. The MgO-CX catalysts are subjected to catalytic transfer hydrogenation of furfural into furfuryl alcohol, using isopropanol as H-donor in continuous process at atmospheric pressure. MgO-C68 is the best catalyst of this series, which exhibited 100% conversion of furfural with 98% selectivity of furfuryl alcohol. The existence of large number of suitable basic sites on the surface of MgO-C68 catalyst is responsible for its superior catalytic activity and durability.