title: Liquid-Phase Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of Furfural over Homogeneous Lewis Acid-Ru/C Catalysts.
abstract: The catalytic performance of homogeneous Lewis acid catalysts and their interaction with Ru/C catalyst are studied in the catalytic transfer hydrogenation of furfural by using 2-propanol as a solvent and hydrogen donor. We find that Lewis acid catalysts hydrogenate the furfural to furfuryl alcohol, which is then etherified with 2-propanol. The catalytic activity is correlated with an empirical scale of Lewis acid strength and exhibits a volcano behavior. Lanthanides are the most active, with DyCl3 giving complete furfural conversion and a 97 % yield of furfuryl alcohol at 180 °C after 3 h. The combination of Lewis acid and Ru/C catalysts results in synergy for the stronger Lewis acid catalysts, with a significant increase in the furfural conversion and methyl furan yield. Optimum results are obtained by using Ru/C combined with VCl3 , AlCl3 , SnCl4 , YbCl3 , and RuCl3 . Our results indicate that the combination of Lewis acid/metal catalysts is a general strategy for performing tandem reactions in the upgrade of furans.
authors.affiliation: Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716 (USA)http://www.efrc.udel.edu/
authors.forename: Paraskevi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panagiotopoulou
authors.affiliation: Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716 (USA)http://www.efrc.udel.edu/
authors.forename: Nickolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716 (USA)http://www.efrc.udel.edu/. vlachos@udel.edu.
authors.forename: Dionisios G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Vlachos
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D005662:Furaldehyde / Q000737:chemistry*; D006865:Hydrogenation; D007700:Kinetics; D058116:Lewis Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D012428:Ruthenium / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D058116:Lewis Acids; D002244:Carbon; D012428:Ruthenium; D005662:Furaldehyde
keywords: homogeneous catalysis; hydrogenation; lewis acids; oxygen heterocycles; ruthenium