Tuning the catalytic selectivity in biomass-derived succinic acid hydrogenation on FeOx-modified Pd catalysts

Abstract

Succinic acid is an important biomass-derived C4 building block and is ready to be converted into various value-added chemicals. Here we report that tunable selectivity for the formation of 1,4-butanediol, γ-butyrolactone and tetrahydrofuran from aqueous succinic acid hydrogenation could be achieved on FeO_x-promoted Pd/C catalysts. Fe was found to be an efficient promoter for the succinic acid hydrogenation, which not only improved the activity of the catalysts but also tuned the product distribution. Succinic acid could be transformed into 1,4-butanediol with a yield of over 70% in the presence of the Pd–5FeO_x/C catalyst under the relatively mild conditions of 200 °C and 5 MPa H₂. The reaction pathway was also proposed according to the reaction and characterization results.