Efficient hydrogenolysis of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to produce 2,5-dimethylfuran using unsupported nickel–molybdenum nitride catalysts

Abstract

An efficient and selective nickel–molybdenum nitride catalyst has been developed for the hydrogenolysis of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to produce 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF). The results showed that the Ni₂Mo₃N phase of the catalyst exhibited good hydrogenation activity for HMF, while the Ni₆Mo₆C_1.06 phase demonstrated effective C–O bond hydrogenolysis activity. By regulating the Ni/Mo molar ratios, the proportions of the Ni₂Mo₃N and Ni₆Mo₆C_1.06 phases can be adjusted, and the NiMoN_x (Ni : Mo = 1 : 2) catalyst with good performance was prepared. Additionally, 2-propanol, as a good solvent, can react with HMF to form ethers, facilitating easier hydrogenolysis. This method leads to full conversion of HMF, achieving a 99% yield of DMF at 160 °C and 2 MPa H₂ for 5 h. Furthermore, the catalyst displayed good recyclability, maintaining its activity over 4 cycles, indicating that it has potential for application in the industrialization of 5-HMF hydrogenolysis to produce DMF.