Catalytic transfer hydrodeoxygenation of vanillin over CoRu MOF-based catalysts with isopropanol at atmospheric pressure

Lignin derivatives have attracted much attention because of their versatile applications across multiple fields. In this work, a group of bimetallic catalysts (Co 5 Ru 0 /C, Co 5 Ru 0.02 /C, Co 5 Ru 0.04 /C, Co 5 Ru 0.06 /C, Co 5 Ru 0.08 /C, Co 5 Ru 0.10 /C) were synthesized using a hydrothermal method and evaluated for the catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of the lignin model compound vanillin to 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol. Among them, the Co 5 Ru 0.08 /C catalyst exhibited remarkable catalytic behavior, attaining 99.82% VAN conversion and 90.52% MMP selectivity under optimized conditions (200 ℃, 0 MPa N₂, 15 mL isopropanol, 4 h). Systematic study of CoRu bimetallic MOF-derived catalysts for the catalytic transfer hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of vanillin under atmospheric pressure and without external H 2 , using isopropanol as a hydrogen donor. Characterization findings demonstrated that the boosted catalytic activity stems from the catalyst’s large specific surface area, well-developed mesoporous architecture, and abundant Lewis acid sites, which collectively facilitate reactant activation and promote reaction efficiency. Further density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the bimetallic CoRu active sites possess more favorable adsorption energy than their monometallic Co cluster counterparts, corroborating the improved catalytic behavior. This work presents a promising paradigm for the design efficient bimetallic catalysts, which could provide a valuable reference for promoting the transformation of lignin into high-value-added chemicals.