Catalytic Reduction of Biomass-Derived Furanic Compounds with Hydrogen

Furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) are important platform chemicals in biorefinery. Reduction of furfural or HMF with H2 over heterogeneous catalysts is the simplest way to convert the oxygen-rich compounds. However, the process can involve many types of reactions such as hydrogenation of the C═O bond, hydrogenation of the furan ring, C–O hydrogenolysis, rearrangement, C–C dissociation, and polymerization. Hydrogenation reactions are most studied in line with hydrogenations of other α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, and it becomes possible to produce each product selectively: furfuryl alcohol, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan, or 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran. Total reduction of…