Enhanced Cyclopentanone Yield from Furfural Hydrogenation: Promotional Effect of Surface Silanols on Ni-Cu/m-Silica Catalyst

A direct alkaline hydrothermal method was used to synthesize mono- and bimetallic Ni Cu on mesoporous silica (m-SiO2) as catalysts for the hydrogenation of furfural (FAL) cyclopentanone (CPO). The were characterized by XRD, FTIR, H2-TPR, SEM, TEM, HR-TEM, XPS, ICP, BET, CHN analysis. results demonstrate that addition metal improved reducibility revealed Ni-Cu alloy formation over m-SiO2. Furthermore, XPS FTIR reveal silanol groups catalyst surface play an important role in ring rearrangement furfuryl alcohol. Hence, effect FOL studied detail. Among at fixed loading 20 wt.%, Ni5Cu15/m-SiO2 catalyzed CPO main product due synergy groups. Ni5Cu15 supported a commercial (Ni5Cu15/C-SiO2) showed inferior performance compared with FAL hydrogenation. Reaction temperature time also optimized enhanced yield Ni5Cu15/m-SiO2. is durable, demonstrated stability tests multiple reuses. This effective flexible NixCuy m-SiO2 provides candidate efficient upgrading furanics selective reactions.