The selective hydrogenation of benzofurans
(BFs) over supported
metal catalysts is of fundamental interest for producing biologically
active and pharmacologically relevant chemicals. However, most supported
metal catalysts are confronted with the dilemmas of activity and selectivity.
Herein, we report that the deposition of a small amount of Pd on commercial
Ru/C makes inactive Ru/C active in BF hydrogenation at low temperatures
(e.g., 4 °C), and the selectivity to 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran as
high as 92% was obtained. Systematic investigations show that the
catalytic performance of Pd^Ru/C is attributed to the synergy of Pd
and Ru, respectively, for the activation of H2 and BF and
a significantly reduced energy barrier for the C1 (O–C1C2) addition step due to the interaction
between BF and oxyphilic Ru. Besides, a series of bioactive compounds
could be successfully produced by the hydrogenation of BF derivatives
with Pd^Ru/C as a catalyst. This study provides insights into the
activation of O-containing heteroaromatics by the incorporation of
oxyphilic sites in supported metal catalysts