Selective hydrogenation of furfural through doping with oxide MoOx species

Abstract Due to the competitive hydrogenation pathway, selective hydrogenation of furfural (FF) to furfuryl alcohol (FFA) remains a key challenge. In this work, we report an inverse Ni-MoOx@Al2O3 catalyst designed with a tunable MoOx overlayer, achieving exceptional FF conversion (>99%) and FFA selectivity (>95%) under mild conditions (110 °C, 3 MPa H2). Its performance significantly outperforms monometallic Ni@Al2O3, MoOx@Al2O3, and their physically mixed counterparts. Structural and electronic analyses via XRD, XPS, and HRTEM indicate that MoOx species in the Ni-MoOx@Al2O3 system significantly enhance interfacial electron migration from Ni to Mo. The resulting electronic coupling at the Ni-MoOx boundary generates cooperative active sites, serving as the key driver for the catalyst’s outstanding activity and selectivity. Delving deeper into the collaborative mechanisms of Ni and MoOx could pave the way for advanced Ni-based catalyst designs, potentially expanding their use in selective hydrogenation of various bio-based aldehydes.