Ku Conghao, Tang Jiaming, Li Xucheng, Liu Zhengli, Yang Weiran
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang University Nanchang 330031 P.R. China
Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization (Nanchang University) Ministry of Education, School of Resources & Environment, Nanchang University Nanchang 330031 P.R. China
RSC Adv. 2025 May 16;15(21):16348-16357. doi: 10.1039/d5ra02666k. eCollection 2025 May 15.
The synthesis of bis(5-methylfuran)methane (BMFM) from biomass-based 5-methylfurfural (5-MF), a vital fuel precursor, is crucial for biomass refining. However, selective BMFM production from 5-MF needs to suppress side reactions such as hydrogenolysis and decarbonylation. Therefore, direct hydrogenation of 5-MF into BMFM is very challenging in sustainable biomass valorization. In this study, we developed a bimetallic RuCu/hydroxyapatite (HAP) catalyst for selective synthesis of BMFM from 5-MF. The RuCu/HAP catalyst delivered a BMFM yield of 75.6% under mild reaction conditions ( : = 1 : 1, 4 MPa H, 100 °C, 4 h), significantly surpassing its monometallic counterparts (Ru/HAP: 28.7%; Cu/HAP: 0%). Furthermore, a 79% yield of C straight-chain alkanes was obtained from BMFM through the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) process. The systematic characterization revealed that Ru mediates hydrogenation steps C[double bond, length as m-dash]O activation, while Cu orchestrates acid sites essential for self-condensation of 5-MFA. The synergistic interplay between metallic Ru and acidic Cu sites thereby enables simultaneous optimization of conversion efficiency and BMFM selectivity. These findings provide a practical and efficient route for converting lignocellulosic derivatives into renewable biofuels, particularly for sustainable aviation fuel applications.
从生物质基5-甲基糠醛（5-MF，一种重要的燃料前驱体）合成双（5-甲基呋喃）甲烷（BMFM）对生物质精炼至关重要。然而，从5-MF选择性生产BMFM需要抑制诸如氢解和脱羰等副反应。因此，在可持续生物质增值过程中，将5-MF直接氢化为BMFM极具挑战性。在本研究中，我们开发了一种双金属RuCu/羟基磷灰石（HAP）催化剂，用于从5-MF选择性合成BMFM。RuCu/HAP催化剂在温和反应条件下（ ： = 1 ： 1，4 MPa氢气，100 °C，4小时）的BMFM产率为75.6%，显著超过其单金属对应物（Ru/HAP：28.7%；Cu/HAP：0%）。此外，通过加氢脱氧（HDO）过程，从BMFM获得了79%的C直链烷烃产率。系统表征表明，Ru介导氢化步骤 C[双键，长度为中划线]O活化，而Cu协调5-MFA自缩合所需的酸性位点。金属Ru和酸性Cu位点之间的协同相互作用从而能够同时优化转化效率和BMFM选择性。这些发现为将木质纤维素衍生物转化为可再生生物燃料提供了一条实用且高效的途径，特别是对于可持续航空燃料应用而言。
