Aqueous-Phase Hydrogenation of Furfural in the Presence of Supported Metal Catalysts of Different Types. A Review

Hydrogenation of furfural in the presence of heterogeneous catalysts has recently attracted increased interest as a method for the synthesis of oxygen-containing compounds of various classes based on renewable raw materials. The composition of the catalyst and the conditions of its preparation essentially determine which of the routes of reductive conversions during the hydrogenation of furfural will be predominant. The present review summarizes and examines methods for controlling the physicochemical and functional properties of Pd-, Ni-, Co-, and Cu-containing catalytic compositions, as the most common and practically significant in the hydrogenation of furfural. The influence of the nature of the support, the composition of the active metal precursor, and the conditions for the formation of metal nanoparticles on the activity and selectivity of supported catalysts in the reductive conversions of furfural under aqueous-phase hydrogenation conditions has been demonstrated by numerous examples. Promising directions of research on the development of methods for the synthesis of efficient catalysts with controlled functional properties in the hydrogenation of furfural are considered. The bibliography includes 127 references.