Synthesis of a Pt3Sn catalyst using a solvothermal method assisted by deep eutectic solvents for selective hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol

The selective hydrogenation of biomass-derived feedstock into high-value-added chemicals is widely recognized as one of the most significant challenges in biomass upgrading due to the complexity of functional groups. In this study, we have developed a solvothermal method using a deep eutectic solvent to synthesize a highly efficient intermetallic compound (IMC) Pt3Sn (PtSn0.5/CNTs-100) catalyst under mild conditions for the selective hydrogenation of furfural (FAL) to furfuryl alcohol (FOL). Compared to metallic Pt catalysts, the PtSn0.5/CNTs-100 catalyst exhibited superior catalytic performance, resulting in a FOL yield of over 99%. Characterization and reaction results demonstrated that this exceptional performance was attributed to the synergistic catalytic effect of Pt3Sn and SnOx. Furthermore, we investigated the stability of PtSn0.5/CNTs-100 and observed a slight deactivation attributed to the growth of Pt3Sn and the deposition of carbonaceous species on the Pt3Sn IMC catalyst. These findings highlight a new approach to the rational design of high-performance catalysts for sustainable chemical production.