Production of value-added chemicals and fuels from selective conversion of CO, CC, and C–O bonds in 5-hydroxymethylfurfural over bimetallic catalysts

Abstract

The catalytic conversion of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) has been extensively studied due to its potential to produce a range of valuable chemicals and fuels through the selective hydrogenation/hydrodeoxygenation of CO, CC or C–O bonds. This research has primarily focused on improving reaction rates and controlling product selectivity by designing highly efficient heterogeneous catalysts. It is well established that the catalytic activity and selectivity strongly depend on the electronic and geometric structures of the active species of metal-supported catalysts. These structural features play a critical role in governing the adsorption and activation of reactants and H₂ molecules during reactions. This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent advancements in HMF conversion over the past decades, with a particular emphasis on elucidating the catalytic mechanisms of bimetallic catalysts. The key factors, which influence the selective activation of CO, CC and C–O bonds, such as the electronic interactions of active metal species (including bimetallic alloys and intermetallic compounds), the structural interactions of active species with the support (encapsulation, metal–N(S) species and oxygen vacancies), and surface acidity (originating from doped secondary metals or inherent acidity of the supports), will be systematically discussed and summarized.