Selective Conversion Of Furfural Research Articles

Selective Conversion of Furfural into Diols over Co-Based Catalysts: Importance of the Coordination of Hydrogenation Sites and Basic Sites

1,5-Pentanediol (1,5-PDO) is a feedstock for synthesis of polyesters and polyurethanes, and its selective production from furfural is a desirable route but very challenging. In this study, the production of 1,5-PDO from furfural was investigated over the Co–Mg–Al catalyst, containing abundant hydrogenation sites and basic sites. Using layered double hydroxides as the catalyst precursor benefited dispersion of metallic Co particles via preventing migration of cobalt species and developing pore structures. Furthermore, the Co–Mg–Al catalyst possessed abundant basic sites, rendering its superior catalytic activity to Co–Al or Co–Mg catalysts. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS) characterization for FA conversion demonstrated that the cooperation of abundant hydrogenation sites and basic sites facilitated a strong adsorption of C–O–C and carbon–carbon double-bond groups, which benefited the conversion of FA into diols.

Selective Conversion of Renewable Furfural with Ethanol to Produce Furan-2-acrolein Mediated by Pt@MOF-5

The selective conversion of furfural (FUR) with ethanol to produce furan-2-acrolein has been successfully performed in the presence of O2, in which metal organic framework (MOF) supported platinum nanoparticles (Pt@MOF-5, Pt@UIO-66, and Pt@UIO-66-NH2) were used as the catalysts. Under the optimal conditions, 84.1% conversion of FUR and 90.1% selectivity of furan-2-acrolein was obtained with Pt@MOF-5 as the catalyst. Moreover, the catalysts were characterized by XRD, H2-TPR, HRTEM, HRSEM, and XPS techniques, with the synergetic effect of well-dispersed platinum nanoparticles in the MOF-5 channel. In addition, the results of the recycling experiment exhibited that there was no significant loss after the catalyst was reused 5 times.