Hydrogenation of 5-Hydroxymethyl Furfural (HMF) Using Noble Metal-Free Copper-Molybdenum-Based Catalyst

A Molybdate intercalated copper–aluminium hydrotalcite (CAM) material was synthesised using a simple co-precipitation technique, employing varying amounts of molybdate anions. Powder XRD, FT-IR, and TEM studies revealed the presence of molybdate species in the interlayer spaces and the formation of layered hydrotalcite structures. The resultant CAM materials have been explored for the hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethyl furan using water as a green solvent in liquid-phase conditions under a hydrogen atmosphere. The catalyst showed around 60% conversion with the selective formation of 2,5-bishydroxymethyl furan (BHMF). The activity remains intact for five cycles. The increase in reaction temperature enhanced the conversion level to 80%, with the cost of a decrease in the selectivity of BHMF to 74%. The uniform dispersion of copper-molybdenum and strong interaction in the presence of a hydrogen atmosphere favoured better activity.