Selective hydrogenolysis of furfural-derived tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol to 1,5-Pentanediol over Ni-Co/La(OH)x bimetallic catalysts

The selective activation of targeted bonds within renewable biomass-derived furanic compounds for the production of high-value alkyl diols holds significant importance for biomass upgrading, necessitating well-defined catalysts and clearly defined catalytically active sites. Herein, 1,5-pentanediol is synthesized through the selective hydrogenolysis of furfural-derived tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol utilizing Ni-Co/La(OH) x bimetallic catalysts. The La(OH) x with abundant defect sites polarizes Ni-Co alloy for heterocracking of H 2 , as well as leads to expose more interfacial NiCo-O V -La 3+ sites. By harnessing the synergistic interplay between the alloy sites and the interfacial sites, the optimized Ni 4 Co 1 /La(OH) x bimetallic catalyst markedly enhances the adsorption of –OH groups in tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol and facilitates the selective assault of active H species on the C-O-C bonds within tetrahydrofuran rings. This approach markedly elevates the selective hydrogenolysis of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol to 1,5-pentanediol, attaining an exceptional selectivity of 88.6 % with a conversion of 98.1 % for tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol. Furthermore, the Ni 4 Co 1 /La(OH) x bimetallic catalyst demonstrates exceptional performance in the one-pot hydrogenation-hydrogenolysis of furfural to 1,5-pentanediol, exhibiting a low activation energy of 17.77 kJ/mol and a high turnover frequency of 192.1 h −1 . Notably, the Ni 4 Co 1 /La(OH) x bimetallic catalyst showcases remarkable stability. This outcome provides invaluable insights for the advancement of a sustainable process to produce diol monomers from renewable resources with a low carbon footprint.