Insights on the One‐Pot Formation of 1,5‐Pentanediol from Furfural with Co−Al Spinel‐based Nanoparticles as an Alternative to Noble Metal Catalysts

International audienceCoAl‐spinel nanoparticles prepared by liquid‐feed flame spray pyrolysis (L−F FSP) and activated by reduction at different temperatures were used to investigate the hydrogenation process of furfural (FA) under mild conditions. Reduction of the spinel at 500 °C resulted in high FA conversion and selectivity to furfuryl alcohol (FFA, 81 % yield, in 1 hour). Reduction at higher temperatures (i. e., 700 and 850 °C) led to the direct formation of diols (i. e., 1,5‐PeD and 1,2‐PeD) from FA. The differences in activity are attributed to the formation of surface metallic cobalt nanoparticles upon reduction at high temperature. A maximum of 30 % 1,5‐PeD was yielded after 8 hours of reaction under the optimized conditions of150 °C, 30 bar of H2 and with 40 mg of catalyst reduced at 700 °C. This is the first report on the direct catalytic conversion of furfural to1,5‐pentanediol with a non‐noble metal solid catalyst