Furfural Research Articles

Nickel and Molybdenum-Containing Perovskites as Efficient Heterogeneous Catalysts for the Conversion of Biobased Furfural to a Fuel Additive Intermediate

AbstractIn this work, the catalytic conversion of furfural was found to follow both CTHs and etherification pathways in one-pot over multicationic inorganic perovskites (LaNi1-xMoxO3±δ) as heterogeneous catalysts. The conversion of furfural (FA) into alcohols and ether functionalities using the as-synthesized perovskite catalysts showed good conversions that are above 80% and excellent selectivity towards the desired product. The LaMoO3 catalyst was found to achieve the highest percentage conversion of 83%. Simple and multicationic inorganic perovskites were successfully employed in the transformation of furfural to produce β-methoxy-2-furanethanol. Furthermore, we postulate the hydrogenation of the keto-group to be the first step in the mechanism of the formation of β-methoxy-2-furanethanol and that its formation is characterized by rearrangement of the intermediate over the surface of the catalyst. Graphical abstract

Small Molecules Effective for Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Furfural and Its Derivatives

This review summarizes recent applications of small organic and inorganic molecules as catalysts or solvents (chemical hands and scissors) in the production of furfural (FA), 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF), and 5-(chloromethyl)furfural (CMF). The possible transformation of lignocellulosic biomass into a one-pot configuration and two-step technique based on the preliminary separation of hemicellulose, lignin and cellulose with the subsequent hydrolysis of separated polysaccharides is compared and discussed. Interestingly, these rather simple and cheap molecules are catalytically active and enable a high rate of conversion of polysaccharides into furfural and its derivatives. Usually, elevated pressure and reaction temperatures above 150 °C are necessary for effective hydrolysis and dehydration of in situ formed monosaccharides; nevertheless, ionic liquids or deep eutectic solvents enable a significant decrease in the reaction temperature and performance of the discussed process at ambient pressure.

A very simple synthesis of defect-rich PdAg nanosponges for highly selective hydrogenation of furfural

Furfuryl alcohol (FA) is an important chemical and has extensive applications in varied fields. To realize the highly selective hydrogenation of furfural (FF) to produce FA, the key is the preparation of the catalysts with excellent performance. Herein, a very simple wet chemical method is developed for the one-step preparation of PdAg nanosponges (NSs). Specifically, with Pd(OAc)2 and AgNO3 as precursors, and ethylene glycol (EG) as both solvent and reducing agent, PdAg NSs can be grown and assembled at mild temperature of 40 °C. Throughout the reaction, no any surfactants and additional reducing agents are applied. The as-prepared PdAg NSs possess 3D self-supported alloy structures, “clean” surface, abundant pores, high specific surface area and rich defects. In the FF hydrogenation reaction at 60 °C under 1.5 MPa H2 pressure in the mixed solvent of ethanol and water (1 : 4 in volume ratio), the self-supported PdAg-1 NSs (1 : 1 in Pd/Ag molar ratio) exhibit superior catalytic performance than other PdAg NSs, pure Pd sample and commercial Pd/C (10%). With PdAg-1 NSs as catalyst in the absence of support, 100% FF can be converted and the selectivity toward FA is as high as 97.1% at 36.0 h of reaction. After 4 cycles, PdAg-1 NSs still maintain the high catalytic activity in FF hydrogenation and high selectivity toward FA, which may originate from the 3D self-supported structures, high specific surface area, “clean” surface, rich defects and electronic synergistic effect between Pd and Ag. This simple fabrication of PdAg NSs introduces new ideas for the synthesis of other nanostructured bi- and multi-metallic catalysts for highly selective FF hydrogenation to FA and other advanced applications.

Single nickel atoms anchored on porous N-doped nanocarbon with dual reaction sites for highly-efficient transfer hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol

The non-precious metal single-atom catalysts (SACs) supported on carbon materials for the catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes (UAL) still suffer from the problems of harsh reaction conditions and low activity. In this work, nickel SACs anchored on porous N-doped nanocarbon (Ni1/NC900) with dual reaction sites were synthesized using the high internal-phase emulsion (HIPE) template method combined with impregnation. The Ni1/NC900 catalyst exhibited remarkable catalytic activity for the CTH of furfural (FF) to furfuryl alcohol (FFA), achieving >99.0 % conversion and selectivity at 100 °C for 60 min, with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 2908.1 h−1, surpassing other reported nickel-based catalysts by 1–3 orders of magnitude. The excellent catalytic performance of Ni1/NC900 was attributed to the high mass transfer efficiency (HMTE) of the support and the dual reaction sites of Ni–N4 and pyridinic N, where Ni–N4 as Lewis acidic site for adsorption of FF and isopropanol (i-PrOH), while the adjacent pyridinic N as Lewis basic site for the deprotonation of i-PrOH. The isotope labeling experiments revealed that the hydrogenation of FF was accomplished by proton transfer with i-PrOH, in agreement with the intermolecular hydride transfer mechanism. Furthermore, Ni1/NC900 demonstrated excellent stability and well general applicability, demonstrating its potential for industrial applications. This work provides a reference for the application of carbon-based non-precious metal SACs in the CTH reaction of UAL.

Enhanced bioethanol production from Compositae plant stalks: Integrating dry acid pretreatment and fungal mediated biodetoxification

Compositae is an important economic plant with relatively high contents of water-soluble sugars in stalk section. The pretreatment of Compositae plant stalks quickly converts the water-soluble sugars into high titers of furan aldehydes, which inhibits the viability of consequent fermentation strains. This study used the typical Compositae plant stalks of sunflower, Jerusalem artichoke, and stevia as feedstocks for dry acid pretreatment under high solids loading, then a unique solid-state biodetoxification method was applied to degrade these high-titer inhibitors. The results showed that temperature and sulfuric acid concentration were two key parameters for enhancing pretreatment efficiency. Enzymatic hydrolysis yield of the above pretreated stalks reached up to 79.68%, 66.75% and 74.05%, respectively. For pretreated Jerusalem artichoke stalk, it contained 37.36% of cellulose, 2.72% of xylan, 3.04% of glucose, 11.64% of xylose, 20.54% of lignin, and some inhibitors (3.80% of acetate, 0.24% of HMF and 0.23% of furfural). After biodetoxification, 100% of furfural, 40% of HMF, and 36% of acetate were quickly removed by Amorphotheca resinae ZN1, which resulted in 55.57 g/L ethanol production (equivalent to 7.1% by volumetric percentage) with the yield of 55.54% from 73.59 g/L of glucose and 40.69 g/L of xylose by simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF). This study provides a combinational approach of dry acid pretreatment and biodetoxification for Compositae plant stalks biorefinery.

Efficient charge abstraction and oriented accumulation driven by strong interfacial interaction facilitate photocatalytic selective oxidation of furfuralcohol coupled with H2 evolution

S-scheme heterostructures are promising strategies for photogenerated charge transport and spatial separation, yet the intrinsic mechanism of interfacial interaction on carrier dynamics remains under exploration. Herein, an S-scheme NiTiO3/Cd0.6Zn0.4S (NTO/CZS) heterostructure with strong interfacial interaction was fabricated to synchronously drive redox half-reactions. The KPFM, SPV, in-situ ESR, in-situ XPS, and fs-TA combined with and DFT simulation confirmed the reinforced IEF’s role in efficient charge abstraction and oriented accumulation on RP and OP surfaces, respectively, thereby synchronously triggering redox half-reactions. In addition, the furfuryl alcohol (FOL) to furfural (FAL) conversion was driven by αC-H bond cleavage, with H2O playing a crucial role in achieving efficient photocatalytic selective oxidation of FOL coupled with H2 evolution reaction (HER). The optimized 35 % NTO/CZS exhibited exceptional photocatalytic performance, achieving FOL selective oxidation coupled with HER, surpassing that of CZS and NTO for HER of 3.3 mmol g−1 h−1 by 6 times and 50 times, respectively. The present work provides new insights into constructing S-scheme heterostructures with strong interfacial electric field (IEF) for efficient charge abstraction and oriented accumulation to synchronously facilitate redox half-reactions.

Optimized Furfural Production Using the Acid Catalytic Conversion of Xylan Liquor from Organosolv-Fractionated Rice Husk

This study determined the optimal production of furfural (FuR) from liquid hydrolysate xylan liquor obtained through a two-stage pretreatment process using NaOH for de-ashing and EtOH for the delignification of raw rice husk (RH). The de-ashing pretreatment was conducted at 150 °C, with 6.0% (w/v) NaOH and a reaction time of 40 min. The optimal conditions for delignification pretreatment, performed using an organosolv fractionation method with EtOH, were a reaction temperature of 150 °C, 60% (v/v) EtOH, 0.25% (w/v) H2SO4, and a reaction time of 90 min. Through a two-stage pretreatment process, a liquid hydrolysate in the form of xylan liquor was obtained, which was subjected to an acid catalytic conversion process to produce FuR. The process conditions were varied, with reaction temperatures of 130–170 °C, H2SO4 catalyst concentrations of 1.0–3.0 wt.%, and reaction times of 0–90 min. The Response Surface Methodology tool was used to identify the optimal FuR yield from xylan liquor. Ultimately, the optimal process conditions for the acid catalytic conversion were found to be a substrate-to-catalyst ratio of 2:8, a reaction temperature of 168.9 °C, a catalyst concentration of 1.9 wt.%, and a reaction time of 41.24 min, achieving an FuR yield of 67.31%.

Novel class of aldehyde reductases identified from Scheffersomyces stipitis for detoxification processes in cellulosic ethanol production industry

The increase in industrialization has led to a significant energy crisis, sparking interest in lignocellulosic biomass for fuel ethanol production because of its renewable characteristics. The complex composition of this biomass requires pretreatment to reduce inhibitors like furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), which hinder enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation, ultimately decreasing ethanol yields. This study investigates the detoxification mechanisms of furan aldehydes in Scheffersomyces stipitis, particularly through the upregulation of genes SsOYE2.2, SsOYE2.7, and SsOYE3.1 under furfural and HMF stress. Enzyme characterization determined that SsOye3.3p is the most active enzyme for reducing both compounds using NADPH. Notably, SsOye2.6p showed the highest catalytic efficiency towards furfural, while SsOye2.8p was optimal for HMF. The study also established the optimal temperature and pH for these enzymatic reactions. Importantly, SsOye2.5p displayed broad substrate specificity, indicating its potential in detoxifying various aldehydes in microbial cells. The findings suggest that genes linked to enhanced enzymatic properties were not significantly induced, indicating that S. stipitis has more substantial potential for furan aldehyde detoxification and can be developed as a chassis organism exhibiting furan aldehyde tolerance. These insights facilitate the development of novel enzymes to counter furan aldehyde inhibitors and the creation of furan aldehyde-tolerant strains via genetic engineering.

Highly efficient selective hydrogenation of furfural to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol over MOF-derived Co-Ni bimetallic catalysts: The effects of Co-Ni alloy and adsorption configuration

The targeted conversion of furfural (FA) over inexpensive catalyst is a critical and challenging project. Herein, CoNi alloy catalysts (xCoyNi/C) were prepared through one-step pyrolysis of metal–organic frameworks and used in furfural (FA) hydrogenation to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (TFOL). The formation of CoNi alloy leads to a reconfiguration of the electronic structure on the metal surface, which affects the adsorption of functional groups on FA and furfuryl alcohol (FOL). In situ FT-IR analysis and DFT calculations verify that bimetallic CoNi alloy catalyst exhibits more suitable reactants adsorption and hydrogenation rate in comparison with the monometallic Co and monometallic Ni catalysts. Meanwhile, CoNi alloy significantly reduces the activation barrier from FOL to TFOL. Hence, the 1Co1Ni/C catalyst gives the highest TFOL yield of > 99 %. This study provides a simple strategy for the preparation of alloy catalysts for tuning product selectivity and presents practical potential for upgrading biomass-derived platform molecules.

Silica gel supported Cu nanoparticles for selective reductive etherification of furfural into isopropyl furfuryl ether

Furfural (FF) is one of the important platform molecules of biomass, which can be obtained by hydrolysis from lignocellulose and can produce many high value-added chemicals. In this study, a new 4.5 wt% Cu-supported silica gel (SG) catalyst with dual functions of metal and acid site was prepared by acid-base adsorption impregnation method. Isopropyl furfuryl ether (IPFE) with 80.4 % yield was obtained by one-pot reductive etherification of FF in 2-propanol at 150 °C under 2 MPa H2. The characterization of the catalyst proved that the Cu synthesized by this method was well dispersed, and the average size of Cu NPs was 3.34 nm. The reduction of FF to IPFE in a one-pot reaction system is deduced as follows: the existence of a hydrogenation-etherification pathway (main path) and an acetalization-hydrogenolysis pathway. The study in this paper provides a reference for the development of non-noble metal hydroetherification catalysts.

Switchable transformation of biomass-derived furfural to furfuryl alcohol and isopropyl furfuryl ether over a zirconium-based bifunctional catalyst

Selectively converting biomass-derived furfural (FF) to furfuryl alcohol (FFA) and isopropyl furfuryl ether (IPFE) via the same catalytic system is an important strategy for the production of high-value chemicals and fuels. However, this strategy still faces a great challenge because the formation of FFA and IPFE requires different catalyst types and reaction conditions. Hence, developing a compatible catalytic system is extremely necessary. In this work, we designed a high-efficiency zirconium-based bifunctional catalyst (Zr-HC-SO3H), simultaneously containing Lewis acid-base sites (Zr4+–O2−) and Brønsted acid sites (–SO3H), which were mainly responsible for the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction reaction of FF and further etherification reaction of FFA, respectively. By controlling reaction conditions, the action orders and catalytic activities of Zr4+–O2− and –SO3H could be accurately regulated. Thus, Zr-HC-SO3H showed excellent catalytic performance for the switchable transformation of FF, leading to 98.9 % FFA yield at 120 °C for 4 h and 95.1 % IPFE yield at 170 °C for 12 h in isopropanol (iPrOH). Additionally, the analysis results of reaction pathways indicated that the etherification of FFA was much more difficult than the reduction of FF over Zr-HC-SO3H in iPrOH, so IPFE was only formed under the harsher reaction conditions. More significantly, Zr-HC-SO3H also catalyzed the switchable transformation of many other carbonyl compounds and demonstrated satisfactory catalytic universality in iPrOH. In conclusion, this work offered some momentous clues for the development of multipurpose catalytic systems and the controllable synthesis of valuable products in the biorefinery process.

Recent advances in the synthesis of 2-Furoic Acid and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid from furfural.

2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is an important organic platform compound that has been widely used in the fields of medicine, pesticides, dyes, plastics and resins due to its unique structure and properties. In recent years, with the emphasis on sustainable development and green chemistry, the synthesis of FDCA from biomass has attracted extensive attention. The catalytic conversion of furfural (FF) to FDCA has the advantages of easy availability of the raw material, environmental friendliness, economic feasibility and so on, which is an important direction for FDCA synthesis in the future. This paper mainly reviews the prepare pathways of furoic acid (FA) and FDCA using FF as a starting material, including the selective conversion of FF and FA to target products under different types of catalysts. First, the research progress in the synthesis of FA from FF was summarized, and then the advances in the catalytic conversion of FA to FDCA was reviewed. In addition, the development of efficient and green catalysts and the optimization of existing synthesis protocols are emphasized as key factors to improve the yield and purity of FDCA while reducing production costs. Finally, the opportunities and challenges were discussed.

Pyrolytic conversion of glucose into hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural: Benchmark quantum-chemical calculations.

Quantum chemical methods have been intensively applied to study the pyrolytic conversion of glucose into hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural (FF). Herein, we collect the most relevant mechanistic proposals from the recent literature and organize them into a single reaction network. All the transition structures (TSs) and intermediates are characterized using highly accurate ab initio methods and the possible reaction pathways are assessed in terms of the Gibbs energies of the TSs and intermediates with respect to β-glucopyranose, selecting a 2D ideal-gas standard state at 773 K to represent the pyrolysis conditions. Several pathways can lead to the formation of both HMF and FF passing through rate-determining TSs that have ΔG‡ values of ~49-50 kcal/mol. Both water-assisted mechanisms and nonspecific environmental effects have a minor impact on the Gibbs energy profiles. We find that the HMF → FF + CH2O fragmentation has a small ΔrxnG value and an accessible ΔG‡ barrier. Our computational results, which are in consonance with the kinetic parameters derived from lumped models, the results of isotopic labeling experiments and the reported HMF/FF molecular ratios, could be useful for modeling studies including on nonequilibrium kinetic effects that may render more information about product yields and the relevance of the various pathways.

Enhancing the Electrocatalytic Hydrogenation of Furfural via Anion-Induced Molecular Activation and Adsorption.

The electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) of furfural (FF) to furfuryl alcohol, which does not require additional hydrogen or high pressure, is a green and promising production route. In this study, we explore the effects of anions on FF ECH in two buffer electrolytes (KHCO3 and phosphate-buffered saline [PBS]). Anions influence the yield of furfuryl alcohol through molecular activation and adsorption. Molecular dynamics simulations show that bicarbonate is present in the first shell layer of the FF molecule and induces strong hydrogen bonding interactions. In contrast, hydrogen phosphate is present only in the second shell layer, resulting in weak hydrogen bonding interactions. Owing to the interfacial anions and hydrogen bonding, FF molecules exhibit strong flat adsorption on the electrode surface in the KHCO3 solution, while weak adsorption is observed in the PBS solution, as confirmed by operando synchrotron-radiation Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and in situ Raman spectroscopy. Density-functional theory calculations reveal that the overall anionic hydrogen bonding network promotes the activation of the carbonyl group in the FF molecule in KHCO3, whereas electrophilic activity is inhibited in PBS. Consequently, FF ECH demonstrates much faster kinetics in KHCO3, while it exhibits sluggish ECH kinetics and a severe hydrogen evolution reaction in PBS. This work introduces a new strategy to optimize the catalytic process through the modulation of the microenvironment.

Simulation of extractive distillation of C6 components from Fischer‐Tropsch Synthesis oil

AbstractExtractive distillation is used for separating oxygenates from other components in the C6 cut oil from Fischer‐Tropsch Synthesis followed by separating 1‐hexene from N‐hexane using the same solvent as the extractant. Furfural (FUR) is identified as an excellent solvent for extractive distillation of the C6 cut from FTS oil for separating oxygenates from other components as well as for separating 1‐hexene from N‐hexane via searching from more than 100 solvents by simulation using Aspen Plus. The behavior of the newly found solvent FUR is compared with that of the reported best solvent N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP) and the results show that FUR scheme has the advantages of lower market price, lower dosage needed, less reboiler duty required and higher overall tray efficiency for fulfilling the same separation task.

One-pot cascade conversion of furfural to isopropyl levulinate catalyzed by sulfonic acid-functionalized UiO-66

A porous sulfonic acid-functionalized zirconium-based metal–organic framework possessing both Lewis acid and Brønsted acid sites (UiO-66-SO3H) was synthesized and tested for the selective conversion of furfural (FUR) to isopropyl levulinate (IPL) through one-pot cascade reaction. UiO-66-SO3H exhibited excellent catalytic performance, and the conversion of FUR as well as the yield and selectivity of IPL reached 96.4 %, 86.0 %, and 89.2 %, respectively. UiO-66-SO3H could be simply recovered and reused, but the catalytic performance was significantly decreased. The FUR conversion and IPL yield dropped to 73.8 % and 65.1 %, respectively, after 1 cycle, and the reason for the decrease in the catalyst activity were also investigated. It was found that the decrease was mainly caused by the loss of some −SO3H groups, and the cyclic performance of UiO-66-SO3H could be restored by supplementing a small amount of BDC-SO3Na. A plausible mechanism for the selective synthesis of IPL from FUR was proposed, wherein both Lewis acid and Brønsted acid sites played important roles. This work provides guidance for the selective conversion of FUR into IPL, and the high-valued utilization of biomass and its derivatives.

Mechanism insights into the upgrading of xylose to furfural over the carbon-based catalysts in aqueous media

Exploring low-cost and high-efficient solid acid catalysts and elucidating complete reaction mechanisms are critically important for the sustainable transformation of biomass-derived molecules to bio-fuels and high-value chemicals. Here, we design a renewable strategy to construct carbon-supported solid acid catalysts (M@FRC, M=Sn, Al, Fe, Zn, and Mg) by using biomass waste resources (furfural residue, FR) as the carbon source and tested for dehydration of xylose to furfural (FAL) in the aqueous medium. Kinetic studies revealed the relationship between the main reaction (target product FAL) and the side reaction (other by-products) in the dehydration of xylose under different catalysts. Deuterium-labeling reactions and density functional theory calculations elucidate that the aldehyde carbon of FAL was derived from the C1 of xylose. Furthermore, the C1 of xylose could be broken to form formic acid. While the C1 atom from xylose was converted into formic acid, other carbon atoms could be transformed to tetra-, tri-, di- and mono-carbon compounds. This study offers a prospect for the sustainable catalytic upgrading of biomass by the development of renewable catalytic materials from waste lignocellulosic biomass and an in-depth understanding of the xylose conversion mechanism to develop tailored processes.

Adaptive evolution of Paecilomyces variotii enhanced the biodetoxification of high-titer inhibitors in pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock

High inhibitor concentrations in lignocellulose feedstock negatively affect the degradation rate of biodetoxification strains. This study designed two adaptive laboratory evolutions in solid substrate and liquid medium to boost the biodetoxification capacity of P. variotii to high titers of lignocellulose-derived inhibitors, resulting in two evolved strains AC70 and ZW70. The results showed that the evolutionary adaptation in liquid medium could better boost the acetic acid assimilation compared to that on solid substrate. Transcriptional analysis revealed that the evolved strains exhibited a significant upregulation of adh, acs, ach1, and ackA directly related to the initial steps of acetate and furan aldehydes metabolisms. ZW70 strain can effectively remove the high concentration inhibitors cocktail from the hydrolysates derived from pretreated wheat straw and furfural residues. The biodetoxified hydrolysates by ZW70 were successfully used for cellulose chiral L-lactic acid production with the titers of ∼110 g/L, which were over 20 % higher than that detoxified by parental strain.

Construction of Ni−Re Supported on Hydrotalcite‐Derived MgAl Catalysts for Promoting the Ring Hydrogenation of Furfural into Tetrahydrofurfuryl Alcohol in Water

AbstractBiomass‐derived feedstocks play a vital role in sustainable economies for renewable energy, waste management, energy security, and commercial prospects. This study focused on promoting the ring hydrogenation of furfural (FAL) into tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA) in an aqueous solution using a potential Ni−Re‐supported hydrotalcite‐derived MgAl catalyst at different Ni : Re molar ratios. Structural analyses, such as an in situ time‐resolved X‐ray absorption near edge structure, under H2 reduction elucidated the simultaneous transformation of Re6+ and Re7+ to Re0 with the remaining highly stable Ni2+. The construction of Ni−Re on hydrotalcite‐derived MgAl catalyst resulted in the alleviated H2 reduction behavior, facilitated H2 adsorption and desorption processes, and suitable catalyst acidity detected by H2 temperature‐programmed reduction, and H2 and NH3 temperature‐programmed desorption experiments, respectively. Under optimized conditions, a maximum THFA yield of 78 % with a complete FAL conversion was attained using Ni1Re0.16/MgO−Al2O3 catalyst at a reaction temperature of 140 °C, H2 pressure of 20 bar, catalyst loading of 20 %, and reaction time of 2 h in a H2O system. Isotopic deuterium (D2O) labeling revealed that D substitution was notably pronounced through isotopic exchange between the D atom from D2O and H atom in FAL during its hydrogenation to THFA.

The Support and Bimetallic Synergy Effects in Cu‐Ni/SiO2 Catalysts for Hydrogenation of Furfural

AbstractHerein, a series of Cu, Ni catalysts were synthesized using mesoporous SiO2 (MCM‐41) and fumed SiO2 as supports for the catalytic hydrogenation of furfural (FF). The MCM‐41 support facilitated the high dispersion of Cu, Ni nanoparticles (NPs), and the hydrogenation products are primarily in the form of alcohols. For fumed SiO2, the proper amounts of acid sites contributed to the better selectivity of 2‐methyltetrahydrofuran(2‐MTHF). Hydrogenation results showed that the 10Cu10Ni/MCM‐41 catalyst afforded a 93.6 % yield of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA), while the 10Cu10Ni/SiO2 catalyst afforded a 61.73 % yield of 2‐MTHF and a 31.63 % yield of THFA. Meanwhile, it is also found that impregnating nickel salt before copper salt is more likely to promote the formation of deep hydrogenation products. Cyclic experiments indicate that developing a one‐step hydrogenation process with selective production of fully hydrogenated products is still a daunting and challenging task.