Advancements in the Heterogeneous Catalytic Hydrogenation of Furfural to Downstream Products

Abstract Furfural is a 5‐membered heterocyclic compound derived from biomass and can be converted into various chemicals and biofuels through hydrogenation. Furfural conversion invariably requires the involvement of catalysts. The performance of these catalysts predominantly hinges on the characteristics of the metal active sites, the properties of the support, and the regulation of reaction conditions. Therefore, the selection of metals and supports, the preparation methods of catalysts, as well as the determination of reaction solvents, temperature, pressure, and catalyst dosage are the factors that researchers need to consider. Based on this, this present review focuses on the production process and heterogeneous catalytic system selection of furfural hydrogenation to prepare downstream products since 2018. It provides a brief introduction to the corresponding catalytic reaction mechanisms, focuses on the effects of different metals and supports on catalytic performance, and provides an outlook on this research direction.