Interfacial Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Reverses Water Inhibition for Selective 5-hydroxymethylfurfural...

The selective aqueous hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF) is pivotal for biomass valorization. While nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) offers a sustainable H₂-free alternative, its efficiency is severely suppressed by a rigid interfacial water layer that impedes substrate access and drives non-selective pathways. Herein, we surmount this limitation by engineering atomically dispersed Ni sites on nZVI to orchestrate a surface proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET). Mechanistically, single Ni atoms in the electron-deficient state (Ni^δ+) function as "electron pumps", establishing a direct longitudinal inner-sphere channel for electron delivery towards the -CHO group of HMF. Concurrently, the Ni^δ+ sites facilitate prompt proton release by weakening hydrogen binding on adjacent lattice oxygen. Ni^δ+-induced electronic modulation transforms proximal lattice Fe into strong Lewis acids to polarize bulk water, creating a continuous lateral proton shuttle to the adsorbed HMF. This orthogonal PCET system drastically boosts electron selectivity from 10.6% (pristine nZVI) to 81.6%, achieving >95% HMF conversion (20-150 mM) with >95% BHMF selectivity under ambient conditions, outperforming pristine nZVI (<10% conversion) by orders of magnitude. This work demonstrates that engineering interfacial PCET pathways can reverse classical solvent inhibition, opening a general route for efficient aqueous hydrogenation.