Synthesis of Nb(V) Based MOFs with Benzene-1,3,5-Tricarboxylate As a Catalyst For The Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of Furfural to 1,5- Pentanediol: Preliminary Studies

Abstract The conversion of biomass into high value-added chemicals has attracted considerable attention as a promising strategy for the development of sustainable energy and materials. Among various biomass-derived platform molecules, furfural is considered a potential feedstock for production of 1,5-Pentanediol via catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH). This study investigated the preliminary studies of effects of the synthetic method of Nb-based MOF under solvothermal condition (with and without the presence of modulator) on the physicochemical properties of the materials and catalytic performance toward CTH reaction of furfural to 1,5-Pentanediol. Nb-BTC based MOF were successfully synthesized using NbCl 5 as the metal precursor and benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate (BTC) as the organic linker. The synthesized materials were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (FESEM-EDX), Surface Area Analyzer (SAA), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The catalytic performance of Nb-BTC based MOF was evaluated in the physicochemical properties of the material. The catalytic performance of Nb-BTC based MOF was evaluated in the CTH of furfural using isopropanol as the hydrogenation donor in a batch reactor at 120°C and 5 bar of N 2 pressure for 4 hours. The catalytic evaluation revealed that the Nb-BTC synthesized via solvothermal with modulator exhibited superior catalytic activity, promoting the selective conversion of furfural toward the formation of 1,5-pentanediol up to 68%. The findings demonstrate that the incorporation of a modulator plays a crucial role in tailoring the catalytic activity of Nb-BTC based MOF catalyst.