Ruthenium nanoparticle-containing hydrotalcite catalysts work efficiently for the conversion of biomass-derived HMF into liquid fuel 2,5-dimethylfuran.

An efficient catalytic process for the selective conversion of biomassderived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to high quality liquid fuel 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) was achieved over Ru nanoparticles dispersed on NaY zeolite. The structural and morphological features of the catalysts were studied by using various physicochemical characterization techniques. HMF conversion of 100 mol % with 78 mol % DMF yield was achieved using 2 wt %Ru−NaY catalyst in a short duration of the reaction. This catalyst displayed excellent recyclability without any loss in activity when it was used for five times. The study clearly showed that well-dispersed Ru nanoparticles are highly active and selective for the conversion of HMF to DMF. The reaction pathway for the conversion of HMF to DMF was explored by monitoring the reaction intermediates at different stages and intervals of the reaction.

Highly dispersed Ru nanoparticles supported on N-doped mesoporous carbon demonstrated an admirable catalytic activity in catalytic transfer hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-dimethylfuran and furfural to 2-methylfuran.

A noble-metal free FeCu based bimetallic catalyst system prepared by facile co-impregnation method was found to be a highly admirable for vapour phase selective hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol at ambient pressure.

Nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon (NMC) supported Pd nanoparticles catalyst exhibited an admirable catalytic activity in cinnamaldehyde hydrogenation to produce hydrocinnamaldehyde.

Nickel nanoparticles supported on nitrogen doped hierarchically porous carbon (Ni/CN) are found to be highly efficient and reusable catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of biomass-derived furfural to furfuryl alcohol (FA).

No abstract

Key furan compounds such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) were synthesized from renewable feedstocks. Dehydration of fructose was carried out in biphasic conditions employing several solid acid catalysts by targeting selective formation of HMF. Its selectivity is linearly dependent on total acidity clearly revealing that lower acidity favours selective formation of HMF. Oxidation and hydrogenolysis of HMF has been explored using 2 wt% Ru-K-OMS-2. The catalysts used for each transformation were subjected to detailed characterization using XRD, BET surface area, temperature-programmed desorption and transmission electron microscopy. The effect of various reaction parameters was also investigated for obtaining high yields of desired chemical intermediates. High FDCA yields of 93.4 mol% and 66 mol% were achieved in alkaline and base-free conditions, respectively. The 2 wt% Ru-K-OMS-2 is a versatile catalyst as it also catalyses HMF hydrogenolysis giving 33 mol% of DMF. Thus, utility of various novel materials as catalysts has been demonstrated in the multistep transformations of hexoses to furan-based fuels and chemicals.