Ni‐based catalysts for the hydrogenation of HMF to BHMF at industrial‐scale concentrations in water

Abstract A high yield of up to 90% of 2,5‐bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF) was successfully achieved through the selective hydrogenation of high‐concentration (up to 20 wt%) 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) utilizing a novel Ni catalyst supported by renewable carbon under mild reaction conditions (50°C) in an aqueous medium. The superior catalytic performance is attributed to the uniformly dispersed and small‐size Ni nanoparticles, which demonstrated exceptional efficiency in facilitating the hydrogenation of aldehydes and ketones, further highlighting the catalyst's potential for industrial applications.