Selective hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to biofuel 2,5-dimethylfuran over a CuNi/ZrO2-SBA-15 catalyst

Abstract

The efficient production of biofuel 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) represents a significant yet challenging goal for achieving the strategic goal of carbon reduction. Herein, to harness the advantages of both acidic sites and metal sites, CuNi/ZrO₂-SBA-15 was explored as a non-noble metal catalyst for the selective hydrogenation of HMF into DMF. The structure, morphology, and surface chemical characteristics of the catalyst were comprehensively analyzed. The CuNi/ZrO₂-SBA-15 catalyst displayed high-selectivity deoxygenation activity in HMF conversion to DMF. Excellent catalytic hydrogenation for HMF and the highest DMF selectivity (100%) were achieved over CuNi/ZrO₂-SBA-15 at 180 °C for 180 min under 2 MPa H₂ pressure. Furthermore, the catalyst maintained good stability after five reuse cycles. A plausible reaction mechanism for HMF conversion into DMF was proposed. This work offers an efficient and reliable approach for the highly selective hydrogenolysis of HMF to produce valuable chemicals.