Visible-light-driven valorization of biomass-derived furfuryl alcohol to diesel precursors with simultaneous H2 evolution over a dual functional In2S3–Zn5In2S8 photocatalyst

Abstract

Furfuryl alcohol (FA), a versatile biomass-derived platform compound, holds great promise for renewable diesel precursor synthesis via photocatalytic C–C coupling. Herein, we have developed a sacrificial-agent-free photocatalytic system integreting C–C coupling with H₂ evolution through rationally designed In₂S₃–Zn₅In₂S₈ heterostructures. Systematic characterization and theoretical calculations reveal that the built-in electric field at the heterointerface drives spatially separated redox centers, with electrons accumulating on Zn₅In₂S₈ for proton reduction and holes localizing on In₂S₃ for FA activation. This unique charge separation enables 88.6% FA conversion with 87.1% C–C dimer selectivity alongside H₂ production at 14 408.6 μmol g⁻¹, showing 8.6 and 2.8 fold enhancements over its single-component counterparts. This work provides a green chemistry paradigm for concurrent solar fuel production and biomass valorization, with immediate implications for sustainable refinery processes.