Issue 12, 2020

Highly selective hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-dimethylfuran at low temperature over a Co–N–C/NiAl-MMO catalyst

Abstract

Currently there is tremendous interest in the discovery of catalysts which can selectively hydrogenate biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF). Herein, a highly selective catalyst for this transformation was developed, by adsorption of a cobalt porphyrin (CoTAPP) onto a nickel–aluminium layered double hydroxide (NiAl-LDH) support, followed by a pyrolysis step at 500 °C under a N2 atmosphere. The obtained catalyst (denoted here as Co–N–C/NiAl-MMO), comprising cobalt species (Co0 and CoOx) and N-doped carbon on a NiAl mixed metal oxide support, showed outstanding initial selectivity (99.9%) for the hydrogenation of HMF to DMF at 170 °C in tetrahydrofuran (THF). This is one of the highest selectivities reported to date for this reaction, with the reaction temperature being very mild. After 3 cycles of catalytic tests, with catalyst regeneration by heating at 300 °C in N2 between tests, the HMF conversion efficiency and DMF selectivity of Co–N–C/NiAl-MMO had both decreased by >70% compared to the initial values. This deactivation resulted from the loss of surface basic sites needed for H2 activation, as well as a change in the Co speciation on the catalyst surface (i.e. Co0 oxidation to CoOx). Results guide the development of improved catalysts for the selective conversion of HMF to DMF.

Graphical abstract: Highly selective hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-dimethylfuran at low temperature over a Co–N–C/NiAl-MMO catalyst

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 Feb 2020
Accepted
06 May 2020
First published
23 May 2020

Catal. Sci. Technol., 2020,10, 4010-4018

Highly selective hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-dimethylfuran at low temperature over a Co–N–C/NiAl-MMO catalyst

N. Ma, Y. Song, F. Han, G. I. N. Waterhouse, Y. Li and S. Ai, Catal. Sci. Technol., 2020, 10, 4010 DOI: 10.1039/D0CY00363H

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements