Synergistic contribution of metal–acid sites in selective hydrodeoxygenation of biomass derivatives over Cu/CoOx catalysts

The efficient hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of biomass derivatives to yield specific products is a significant yet challenging task. In the present study, a Cu/CoO x catalyst was synthesized using a facile co-precipitation method, and subsequently used for the HDO of biomass derivatives. Under optimal reaction conditions, the conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural reached 100% with a selectivity of ∼99% to 2,5-diformylfuran. In combination with the experimental results, systematic characterizations revealed that CoO x , as the acid site, tended to adsorb C O bonds, and the metal sites of Cu + were inclined to adsorb C O bonds and enhance C O bond hydrogenation. Meanwhile, Cu 0 was the main active site for 2-propanol dehydrogenation . The excellent catalytic performance could be attributed to the synergistic effects of Cu and CoO x . Further, by optimizing the ratio of Cu to CoO x , the Cu/CoO x catalysts exhibited notable performance in HDO of acetophenone, levulinic acid, and furfural, which verified the universality of the catalysts in the HDO of biomass derivatives.