Catalytic transfer hydrogenation of biomass-derived oxygenated chemicals over hydrotalcite-like copper catalyst using methanol as hydrogen donor

The catalytic transfer hydrogenation of biomass-derived furfural, butyraldehyde, and acetone was carried out over an inexpensive copper-based hydrotalcite-like catalyst using methanol as both hydrogen donor and solvent. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization was conducted to analyze copper valence state on the catalyst. The bivalent copper ion was reduced to monovalent and zero valent copper during the reaction. The transfer hydrogenation of furfural, butyraldehyde, and acetone was obviously promoted at higher temperature and longer duration. With regard to hydroprocessing, the yield of corresponding alcohol was greatly increased to 95.69 mol% (furfuryl alcohol), 97 mol% (butanol and methyl butanol), and 82.17 mol% (isopropanol) at 200 ℃ for 2.5 h, respectively, which indicated the superior catalytic transfer hydrogenation activity of copper-based catalyst. The reactions of different reactant were compared in this study. The highest yields of three target products were obtained at same time, which was mainly ascribed to the reduction rate of copper species. This study put forward a green, efficient hydrogenation reaction of biomass-derived oxygenated chemicals using an inexpensive copper-based catalyst and methanol system without any external hydrogen supply.