Efficient catalytic transfer hydrogenation of furfural and other biomass-derived compounds over sustainable magnetic catalyst

In this study, the acid-base bifunctional magnetic ZrMg@Fe₃O₄ metallic oxide catalysts with remarkable structural properties were synthesized by the co-precipitation method for the catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) of furfural (FF), ethyl levulinate (EL), and 5-methylfurfural (5-MF) to furfuryl alcohol (FFA), gamma-valerolactone (GVL), and 5-methyl-2-furanmethanol (5-MFA). Characterization results indicated that the ZrMg@Fe₃O₄ (7: 1:1) catalyst possesses a substantial pore volume, large specific surface area, and mesoporous properties, which play an important role in improving catalytic activity. The leaching experiment indicated that the catalyst was not prone to leaching, proving its structural stability. The yield of FFA, GVL, and 5-MFA could be as high as 92.50%, 95.00%, and 53.95% by optimization experiments. The Py-FTIR, CO₂-TPD, and poisoning experiments showed that Lewis acid-base sites significantly impact the catalytic activity. The catalyst can be readily isolated and retrieved from the liquid reaction mixture by applying the external magnetic field. The reaction mechanism and catalytic stability were also conducted by systematically studying the reaction experiments and physicochemical properties of the catalyst.