Sulfonic groups functionalized Zr-metal organic framework for highly catalytic transfer hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol

The highly selective catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) of furfural (FF) to furfuryl alcohol (FOL) is a significant route of biomass valorization. Herein, a series microporous Zr-metal organic framework (Zr-MOF) functionalized by sulfonic groups are prepared. Based on the comprehensive structural characterizations by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N2 physisorption, Thermogravimetric (TG) and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), we find that sulfonic acid (–SO3H) functional groups are tethered on the UIO-66 without affecting the structure of the framework. Systematic characterizations (NH3-TPD, CO2-TPD, and in-situ FTIR) demonstrate that modifying of sulfonic groups on UIO-66 results in the formation of stronger Lewis acidic-basic and Brønsted acidis sites. The cooperative role of the versatile Lewis acidic-basic and Brønsted acidic sites in 60% mol fraction of sulfonic acid-containing UIO-66 (UIO-S0.6) retain high surface area and exhibit excellent catalytic performance of 94.7% FOL yield and 16.9 h−1 turnover number (TOF) under mild conditions. Kinetic experiments reveal that the activation energy of the CTH of furfural (FF) over UIO-S0.6 catalyst is as low as 50.8 kJ mol−1. Besides, the hydrogen transfer mechanism is investigated through isotope labeling experiments, exhibiting that the β-H in isopropanol is transferred to the α-C of FF by forming six-membered intermediates on the Lewis acidic-basic and Brønsted acidic sites of the UIO-S0.6, which is the rate-determining step in the formation of FOL.