ORCID

Abstract

Biomass-derived diols are key chemical building blocks for the sustainable chemical manufacturing of textiles and plastics, however their synthesis by a selective, scalable process from holocellulose is challenging. Furfuryl alcohol (FALC) is a potential precursor to 1,5-pentanediol (1,5-PeD) through acid-catalysed hydrogenolysis, and hence the impact of oxide support acidity on this reaction over Pt nanoparticles was investigated under batch and continuous flow in toluene. Platinum dispersed over weakly acidic fumed silica and mesoporous SBA-15 supports was almost inactive towards furfuryl alcohol at 150 °C and 10 bar H2 and promoted decarbonylation and hydrodeoxygenation of FALC to furan and methyltetrahydrofuran, respectively. The introduction of Al3+ into silica supports, to form either an amorphous silica-aluminate (ASA) or mesoporous Al-SBA-15, selectively activated the cyclic ether bond at the C2–O position, increasing the specific activity for FALC conversion in continuous flow from 20 mmol gPt−1 h−1 (Pt/SBA-15) to 295 mmol gPt−1 h−1 (Pt/ASA), and 1,5-PeD selectivity from ∼25% (Pt/SBA-15) to 65% (Pt/ASA). This synergy between metal and acid sites resulted in a >25-fold enhancement in 1,5-PeD productivity, reaching 186 mmol gPt−1 h−1 for Pt/ASA, and was maintained for 7 h time-on-stream with negligible deactivation or metal leaching. A moderately acidic Pt/γ-Al2O3 catalyst exhibited reactivity intermediate between that of the Pt/silica and Pt/aluminosilicate catalysts. The yield of 1,5-PeD was directly proportional to the support acid site loading, indicating a common reaction mechanism. These findings demonstrate the striking promotion of metal catalysed hydrogenation that can be achieved through judicious support selection, and its translation from batch to flow with similar reaction kinetics.

Publication Date

2025-07-15

Publication Title

RSC Sustainability

Volume

3

Issue

9

Acceptance Date

2025-07-14

Deposit Date

2025-08-07

First Page

4108

Last Page

4115

Download

Share

COinS