A Promising Strategy for Solvent-Regulated Selective Hydrogenation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural over Porous Carbon-Supported Ni-ZnO Nanoparticles

A porous carbon-supported Ni-ZnO nanoparticles catalyst (Ni-ZnO/AC) was synthesized by low-temperature coprecipitation, demonstrating exceptional catalytic activity and stability. Selective hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (97.5%) or 2,5-dimethylfuran (99.5%) is achieved over Ni-ZnO/AC catalyst by solvent-tuning. Solvent-catalyst interaction jointly regulates hydrodeoxygenation behavior in HMF hydrogenation by modulating rate and pathway via a hydrogen shuttle mechanism.