Highly dispersed Cu0-Cuδ+/MgO-FeO catalyst for the synergistic enhancement of the hydrogenation of furfural

Cu-based catalysts are advantageous for selectively catalyzing the hydrogenation of the CO bonds in furfural (FF). Nevertheless, debates are ongoing regarding the identification of active sites. FeCuxMg catalysts were prepared using a hydrotalcite precursor. During the early stages of the reaction, the selective hydrogenation activity of the CO bond exhibited a volcano-shaped trend with increasing Cu content. FeCu0.15Mg showed the highest hydrogenation activity among all catalysts examined. In-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), in-situ DRIFT, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and other analytical techniques confirmed that Cu0-Cuδ+ sites assume a predominant role in catalytic reactions. At the optimal Cu/Fe ratio, the oxygen vacancies generated by FeOx facilitated the activation of the FF molecules. The highly dispersed Cu0-Cuδ+ sites served a crucial function in the activation of H2 and the rapid formation of reaction intermediates, significantly accelerating the reaction rate and process of FF hydrogenation.