Selectivity catalytic transfer hydrogenation of biomass-based furfural to cyclopentanone

Because of furfural’s diverse unsaturated groups and the rearrangement of oxygen atoms, the production of cyclopentanone (CPO) from furfural (FF) can be challenging. Herein, a novel nitrogen-doped encapsulated catalyst (Co@NC) was synthesized to catalyze the selective hydrogenation of FF in an aqueous phase to CPO. A CPO yield of 86.5 % was obtained at 200 °C and 3 MPa H2. Meanwhile, furfuryl alcohol (FA) was inferred to be the primary intermediate in the formation of CPO and cyclopentanol (CPL). CPL originated from the further hydrogenation of CPO that was produced via FF selective hydrogenation to FA, followed by FA hydrodeoxgenation to CPO. The main presence of CPO illustrated that it avoided overhydrogenation, which contributed to the tailored hydrogenation ability of Co@NC and facilitated the selective preservation of CO bonds. The N atoms acting as electronegative heteroatoms can not only enhance the adsorption of FF but also provide weak Lewis acid sites for CPO production.