Selective Transfer Hydrogenation of Furfural to Isopropyl Levulinate: An In Situ One-Pot Cascade Approach
Saravanan Subramaniyan1, Christian Hering-Junghans1, Eszter Baráth1
1Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. (LIKAT), Rostock, Germany.
Chemsuschem
|March 1, 2026
Summary
Researchers converted green furfural (FF) into valuable oxygenates using isopropanol (IPA). A ruthenium catalyst (Ru-MACHO-BH) efficiently produced isopropyl levulinate (IPL) and γ-valerolactone (GVL), minimizing unwanted byproducts.
Area of Science:
- Catalysis
- Green Chemistry
- Organic Synthesis
Background:
- Furfural (FF) is a sustainable platform chemical derived from biomass.
- Efficient conversion of FF to valuable oxygenates is crucial for biorefineries.
- Existing methods often suffer from low selectivity and byproduct formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a highly selective catalytic system for the conversion of furfural (FF) into small oxygenates.
- To utilize isopropanol (IPA) as both a solvent and a hydrogen donor.
- To investigate the role of dual catalytic functions (metal and Brønsted acid) in the reaction network.
Main Methods:
- Application of a series of ruthenium-based complexes for FF conversion.
- Optimization of reaction conditions, including temperature and time, using isopropanol (IPA).
- Characterization of the catalytic system, Ru-MACHO-BH, for its activity and selectivity.
Main Results:
- The Ru-MACHO-BH catalyst demonstrated high activity and selectivity for isopropyl levulinate (IPL) formation (67% yield) at 130°C after 21 hours.
- Complete conversion of FF was achieved.
- The reaction cascade allowed for the formation of γ-valerolactone (GVL) with a 15% yield.
- Suppression of humin and high molecular weight byproduct formation was observed.
Conclusions:
- The dual-function Ru-MACHO-BH catalyst system effectively converts furfural (FF) into valuable oxygenates like IPL and GVL.
- The combination of metal hydrogenation and Brønsted acid catalysis enables a highly selective and clean reaction pathway.
- This approach offers a promising route for sustainable chemical production from biomass-derived furfural.
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