Selective and efficient production of 1,5-pentanediol from tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol using Ni-La(OH)3 catalysts

Biomass-derived furfural and its derivatives are promising feedstocks for producing valuable C5 diols by catalytic hydrolysis. However, this process requires selective ring opening of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA) to 1,5-pentanediol, which is challenging. Here we report efficient route for this conversion using Ni-La(OH)3 catalysts prepared by a green co-precipitation-hydrothermal method. We show that these catalysts can achieve up to 91.7% yield and 94.6% selectivity of 1,5-pentanediol from THFA under mild conditions. We elucidate the key role of the La(OH)3 phase, the basic sites and the Nin+-O-La3+ structure of the catalysts in promoting the selective hydrogenolysis and ring opening of THFA. We also demonstrate that the co-dehydrogenation of secondary alcohols enables lower reaction pressure and longer catalyst lifetime. Our work provides a sustainable and environmentally benign approach for producing 1,5-pentanediol from biomass-based furfural and its derivatives, which has potential applications in polymer synthesis and green chemistry.