CeO2-supported Ni-Co bimetallic catalysts for one-pot selective hydroconversion of furfural to 1, 5-pentanediol

The sustainable production of high-value diols from biomass-derived furfural remains a major challenge due to low selectivity and uncontrollable side reactions. Herein, we designed a novel CeO 2 -supported Ni-Co bimetallic catalyst system that enables highly selective one-pot conversion of furfural to 1,5-pentanediol under mild conditions, achieving a high yield of 77.3 %. The introduction of nickel has proven instrumental in enhancing interaction between cobalt and CeO 2 support. This interaction improvement leads to an increased concentration of oxygen vacancies in the catalyst structure, which in turn promotes hydrogen spillover. Notably, this work identifies tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol as a key intermediate in the reaction and confirms its adsorption configuration on the catalyst surface. The dual-oxygen adsorption configuration facilitates the selective activation of the C 2 -O 1 bond, selectively forming 1,5-pentanediol. This innovative approach offers a promising pathway for the efficient transformation of furfural and contributes to the sustainable production of high-value diols. • One-pot hydroconversion of furfural to 1,5-pentanediol over 5Ni-35Co/CeO 2 catalysts was developed. • The highest 1,5-pentanediol yield of 77.3 % was obtained under mild conditions. • Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol acts as an important intermediate in this reaction.