Cascade of Acid and Metal Sites in HPW-OMS-SO ₃ H–Cu for One-Pot Valorization of Xylose to Furfuryl Alcohol

Furfuryl alcohol (FA) is an important biobased intermediate for advanced materials and sustainable aviation fuel, yet its direct synthesis from xylose via a one-pot catalytic route remains challenging. Herein, we report a bifunctional Cu-HPW catalyst supported on propyl sulfonic acid-functionalized ordered mesoporous silica that enables efficient one-pot conversion of xylose to FA. The catalyst delivers 98.68% xylose conversion and 72.80% FA yield, exceeding the performance of previously reported systems (5–60%). The high activity and selectivity originate from the synergistic interplay among SO3H, HPW, and Cu sites, which cooperatively promote the tandem dehydration-hydrogenation pathway. Kinetic studies identify furfural hydrogenation as the rate-determining step, while the product distribution is governed by the balance between acid and metal sites, and excess acidity favors FA hydrolysis, whereas a higher Cu/acid ratio results in overhydrogenation. The catalyst maintains stable performance over ten successive recycles. This study demonstrates a rational strategy for integrating active sites and modulating reaction pathways, providing a robust approach for selective biomass valorization toward oxygenated platform molecules.