title: Microwave-Assisted Selective Hydrogenation of Furfural to Furfuryl Alcohol Employing a Green and Noble Metal-Free Copper Catalyst.
abstract: Green, inexpensive, and robust copper-based heterogeneous catalysts achieve 100 % conversion and 99 % selectivity in the conversion of furfural to furfuryl alcohol when using cyclopentyl-methyl ether as green solvent and microwave reactors at low H2pressures and mild temperatures. The utilization of pressurized microwave reactors produces a 3-4 fold increase in conversion and an unexpected enhancement in selectivity as compared to the reaction carried out at the same conditions using conventional autoclave reactors. The enhancement in catalytic rate produced by microwave irradiation is temperature dependent. This work highlights that using microwave irradiation in the catalytic hydrogenation of biomass-derived compounds is a very strong tool for biomass upgrade that offers immense potential in a large number of transformations where it could be a determining factor for commercial exploitation.
authors.affiliation: Technology of Chemical and Biochemical Processes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Av. Horácio Macedo 2030, 21941-909, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.|Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, L69 7ZD, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Pedro N
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4423-6678
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Technology of Chemical and Biochemical Processes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Av. Horácio Macedo 2030, 21941-909, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.|Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, L69 7ZD, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: João M A R
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.affiliation: Technology of Chemical and Biochemical Processes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Av. Horácio Macedo 2030, 21941-909, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.|Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, L69 7ZD, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, L69 7ZD, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7646-415X
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Priecel
authors.affiliation: Technology of Chemical and Biochemical Processes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Av. Horácio Macedo 2030, 21941-909, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Falabella Sousa-Aguiar
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, L69 7ZD, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3064-0140
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lopez-Sanchez
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D005662:Furaldehyde / Q000737:chemistry*; D005663:Furans / Q000737:chemistry*; D055772:Green Chemistry Technology; D006865:Hydrogenation; D008872:Microwaves
chemical_list: D005663:Furans; D003300:Copper; C012986:furfuryl alcohol; D005662:Furaldehyde
keywords: copper; furfural; furfuryl alcohol; hydrogenation; microwaves