Insights on the One‐Pot Formation of 1,5‐Pentanediol from Furfural with Co−Al Spinel‐based Nanoparticles as an Alternative to Noble Metal Catalysts

Abstract

[EN]CoAl-spinel nanoparticles prepared by liquid-feed flame spray pyrolysis (L−F FSP) and activated by reduction at different temperatures were used to investigate the hydrogenation process of furfural (FA) under mild conditions. Reduction of the spinel at 500 °C resulted in high FA conversion and selectivity to furfuryl alcohol (FFA, 81 % yield, in 1 hour). Reduction at higher temperatures (i. e., 700 and 850 °C) led to the direct formation of diols (i. e., 1,5-PeD and 1,2-PeD) from FA. The differences in activity are attributed to the formation of surface metallic cobalt nanoparticles upon reduction at high temperature. A maximum of 30 % 1,5-PeD was yielded after 8 hours of reaction under the optimized conditions of150 °C, 30 bar of H2 and with 40 mg of catalyst reduced at 700 °C. This is the first report on the direct catalytic conversion of furfural to1,5-pentanediol with a non-noble metal solid catalyst.