Pd/Cu-MOF as a highly efficient catalyst for synthesis of cyclopentanone compounds from biomass-derived furanic aldehydes

Herein, a series of Pd nanoparticles supported on Cu-MOFs (Cu-3(BTC)(2), FeCu-DMC) with pure Lewis acidity are synthesized for hydrogenative ring-rearrangement reaction of furanic aldehydes (furfural, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural) to cyclopentanone compounds (cyclopentanone, 3-hydroxymethyl cyclopentanone). For both furfural and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, the hydrogenation rate catalyzed by the Pd/Cu-BTC is six times faster than Pd/ FeCu-DMC, due to the higher dispersion of Pd nanoparticles. Meanwhile, Pd/Cu-BTC with strong acidity for the selectivity of cyclopentanone compounds is more than 90%, while as for Pd/FeCu-DMC, furanic alcohols (furfuryl alcohol, 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan) are only actually be obtained because weak acidity cannot incur subsequent hydrolysis reaction.