Selective Catalytic Hydrogenolysis of Bio-Based Furfural to 1,5-Pentanediol Based on Pt/ReO_x/TiO₂ Catalyst

Pentylene glycol derived from biomass is predicted to replace 1,6-hexanediol and 1,4-butanediol derived from petroleum on the polyester market and can be utilized as an organic chemical and fine chemical raw material. The effect of catalyst element composition, reaction temperature, hydrogen pressure and reaction duration on the hydrogenolysis of biomass-derived furfural to produce 1,5-pentanediol is investigated. The results indicate that the addition of the rare earth element Re greatly increased the average particle size and particle size distribution of Pt in the catalyst. When the Pt/Re mass ratio was 3∶4, the reaction of C-O bond breaking with furan ring hydrogenation was significantly higher than that of other Pt/Re mass ratios; Increasing the reaction temperature is not only conducive to the rupture of cyclic ether C-O, but it also promotes the hydrolysis reaction of the furan ring C=C; Increasing the H₂ pressure has no appreciable effect on the hydrolysis reaction of the C-OH bond. At the interface of the ReO_x and TiO₂ layer zones, the Re-(OH)-Ti site is the center of hydrogenation from furfural to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol and 1,5-pentanediol. When the number of Re-(OH)-Ti adsorption sites at the boundary increased, the reaction of alkoxide and secondary carbon positive ionization to generate 1,5-pentanediol was accelerated. 1,5-pentanediol was produced with the maximum yield of 29.72% by reacting a Pt/ReO_x/TiO₂ catalyst with furfural at 130 ℃ and 6 MPa for 8 hours.