High-Loaded Copper-Containing Catalysts for Furfural Hydroconversion

In this paper, high-loaded copper-containing catalysts synthesized by the different methods (sol–gel, fusion, coprecipitation) have been studied in furfural hydroconversion in a batch reactor at a hydrogen pressure of 5.0 MPa and a temperature of 100°C. The reduction temperatures and phase composition of the catalysts have been determined by physicochemical methods. It has been shown that the highest activity in the studied process is exhibited by a coprecipitated copper–alumina catalyst, which provides the production of furfuryl alcohol with a selectivity of 100% at 100–130°C; in addition, in the presence of this catalyst, 2-methylfuran can be synthesized with a yield of 65% at 200°C. The phase composition of the catalyst reduced at a selected temperature and the catalyst after reaction has been determined.