pH-Induced selective electrocatalytic hydrogenation of furfural on Cu electrodes

The efficient and selective electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) of furfural is considered a green strategy for achieving biomass-derived high-value chemicals. Regulating an aqueous electrolytic environment, hydrogen energy source water, significant improving the selectivity products reducing consumption. In this study, we systematically investigated mechanism pH dependence product in ECH on Cu electrodes. Under acidic conditions, oxygen atom dissociated directly from hydrogenated furfural-derived alkoxyl intermediates, followed by stepwise until H2O formation via thermodynamically favorable proton-coupled electron transfer process, thereby inducing high proportion hydrogenolysis (2-methylfuran). However, under partial alkaline could be to furfuryl alcohol (selectivity ~98%) due high-energy barrier deoxidation process surface hydride (Had) transfer. Our results highlight vital role environment conversion broaden our fundamental understanding hydrodeoxygenation reactions ECH.