Single-atom iridium doped ultrathin MoS2 layers as a highly efficient catalyst for the hydrodeoxygenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural

Abstract

The catalytic transformation of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) is of great importance within the context of biomass valorization, but remains a major challenge due to the complicated reaction networks. Herein, single-atom Ir doped ultrathin MoS2 layers were synthesized and used as catalyst for the hydrodeoxygenation of HMF, yielding 96.5% of DMF. The single atomic structure of Ir was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM), X-ray absorption fine structure analysis (XAFS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Furthermore, the Ir doped MoS2 catalyst showed excellent stability and did not deactivate after five reaction cycles. This work expands the applications of single-atom catalysts and introduces a new and highly efficient catalyst for the sustainable production of DMF.