Hydrogenolysis of Biomass-Based Furfuryl Alcohol into 1,2-Pentanediol over Magnesium Oxide-Supported Pt-Y Bimetallic Catalysts

The catalytic synthesis of 1,2-pentanediol from biomass-derived feedstocks is of remarkable significance for addressing current environmental challenges and energy crises. In this paper, a series of Pt-based catalysts were prepared and evaluated in the hydrogenolysis of furfuryl alcohol. The 5Pt0.5Y/MgO provided a 1,2-pentanediol yield of 68.9% and a tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol yield of 19.8% with 98.1% conversion of furfuryl alcohol, at 200 °C and 2 MPa H2 for 10 h. The promotional effect of yttrium on the catalytic performance was investigated through catalytic reaction and comprehensive characterization. It was found that the reducibility of Pt species was suppressed by the introduction of Y species, resulting in reduced activity compared to the 5Pt/MgO catalyst. However, the addition of Y notably shifted the reaction pathway towards 1,2-pentanediol formation at the expense of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol selectivity. This increase in 1,2-pentanediol selectivity was attributed to a higher concentration of medium-strength basic sites on the Y-modified Pt catalyst. Furthermore, the strong interaction between Y2O3, Pt particles, and the MgO support led to high Pt dispersion and stability on the MgO surface, consequently yielding satisfactory recyclability.