Navigating Copper-Atom-Pair Structural Effect inside a Porous Organic Polymer Cavity for Selective Hydrogenation of Biomass-Derived 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural

Superelectrophilic activation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and 2,5-diformylfuran: organic synthesis based on biomass-derived products

The reaction of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) with arenes in superacidic trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (triflic acid, TfOH) as the solvent at room temperature for 1-24 h gives rise to 5-arylmethylfurfurals (yields of 17-91%) and 2-arylmethyl-5-(diarylmethyl)furans (yields of 10-37%). The formation of these two types of reaction products depends on the nucleophilicity of the arene. The same re...

Hydrogenation of Biomass Derived Oxygenates

Selective hydrogenation of 1,3-butadiene on platinum–copper alloys at the single-atom limit

Platinum is ubiquitous in the production sectors of chemicals and fuels; however, its scarcity in nature and high price will limit future proliferation of platinum-catalysed reactions. One promising approach to conserve platinum involves understanding the smallest number of platinum atoms needed to catalyse a reaction, then designing catalysts with the minimal platinum ensembles. Here we design...

Copper Nanocrystals Encapsulated in Zr-based Metal-Organic Frameworks for Highly Selective CO2 Hydrogenation to Methanol.

We show that the activity and selectivity of Cu catalyst can be promoted by a Zr-based metal-organic framework (MOF), Zr6O4(OH)4(BDC)6 (BDC = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate), UiO-66, to have a strong interaction with Zr oxide [Zr6O4(OH)4(-CO2)12] secondary building units (SBUs) of the MOF for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol. These interesting features are achieved by a catalyst composed of 18 nm single...

Selective Hydrogenation With Copper Catalysts: II. Kinetics

To explain the unusually high selectivity of copper catalysts toward linolenate, model compounds were hydrogenated (150 C and atmospheric pressure) and the reaction products analyzed. Products varied depending upon location of the double bonds. Monoenes were not reduced by copper chromite except when the double bond was next to a carboxyl group. Dienes with isolated double bonds also were not r...