717
the use of Pt-based system was also highly selective, yielding only the desired product. But the use of elevated pressure (1 MPa) of hydrogen gas was still to be taken
care of [6]. Co-Cu/SBA-15 as catalysts were used for FUR conversion with fixed
copper loading of 10% by Srivastava et al. [33]. Mesoporous silica associated with
bimetallic catalyst was tried in this experiment. SBA-15 being hydrothermally stable and having high surface area will prove advantageous in the FUR conversion.
Furthermore, solid interaction between cobalt and copper will help enhance the
constancy of copper in the bimetallic catalyst combination [32]. One hundred percent FUR conversion was achieved at 170 °C. Villaverde et al. used Cu-Mg-Al as
catalysts for FUR conversion and at 110 °C got approximately 64% conversion of
FUR. The intimate interaction between Cu
0
atoms and Mg
2+
cations entangled in a
spinal-like matrix is the probable reason of the highest activity of Cu-Mg-Al with
furfuryl alcohol selectivity of 99% [33]. Novel Cu-Zn-Cr-Zr catalysts were developed and experimented by Sharma et al. for FUR conversion. One hundred percent
conversion of FUR with 96% furfuryl alcohol yield was obtained. This was probably due to delineation of the constituent metals in the catalyst. On the one hand, Zn
increases the activity of FUR conversion; on the other hand, Zr contributes in the
selectivity of furfuryl alcohol. It was found that Zr loading in the catalyst increased
the acidity of the catalyst and helps dispersing the metallic Cu as well. Cu/TiO 2 was
used in the presence of green solvent cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) to achieve
100% FUR conversion and 99% selectivity of furfuryl alcohol in a microwave reactor. One of the probable causes is being the dielectric microwave heating, which
could increase the temperature of the active sites of the catalysts above the bulk
temperature. And TiO 2 having a high dielectric constant receives and absorbs the
irradiation and getting super-heated and increasing the conversion rate [34]. Cu supported on MgO-Al 2 O 3 in the presence of isopropanol generated 100% furfural conversion with 89.3% furfuryl alcohol yield. The results were due to the Cu loading in
the catalyst which influenced the catalyst’s acidity, especially the Lewis acid. With
the increase of Cu loading, weak and high basic strength sites increased. The physicochemical properties of Cu were important for the CTH of FUR, which occurred
at the surfaces of metallic sites.
3 Applications and Commercial Features of Furfural
Uses: Out of the total furfural production in the world, 60–70% is utilised for manufacturing of 2-furanmethanol or furfuryl alcohol. The remaining part is used as:
• Aromatic extractants from lubricating oils.
• Solvent used for purification of C 4 and C 5 hydrocarbons.
• Reactive solvent and wetting agent.
• Used as a chemical feed for deriving other furanic compounds.
• Used as an insecticide.
Furfural and Chemical Routes for Its Transformation into Various Products
the use of Pt-based system was also highly selective, yielding only the desired product. But the use of elevated pressure (1 MPa) of hydrogen gas was still to be taken
care of [6]. Co-Cu/SBA-15 as catalysts were used for FUR conversion with fixed
copper loading of 10% by Srivastava et al. [33]. Mesoporous silica associated with
bimetallic catalyst was tried in this experiment. SBA-15 being hydrothermally stable and having high surface area will prove advantageous in the FUR conversion.
Furthermore, solid interaction between cobalt and copper will help enhance the
constancy of copper in the bimetallic catalyst combination [32]. One hundred percent FUR conversion was achieved at 170 °C. Villaverde et al. used Cu-Mg-Al as
catalysts for FUR conversion and at 110 °C got approximately 64% conversion of
FUR. The intimate interaction between Cu
0
atoms and Mg
2+
cations entangled in a
spinal-like matrix is the probable reason of the highest activity of Cu-Mg-Al with
furfuryl alcohol selectivity of 99% [33]. Novel Cu-Zn-Cr-Zr catalysts were developed and experimented by Sharma et al. for FUR conversion. One hundred percent
conversion of FUR with 96% furfuryl alcohol yield was obtained. This was probably due to delineation of the constituent metals in the catalyst. On the one hand, Zn
increases the activity of FUR conversion; on the other hand, Zr contributes in the
selectivity of furfuryl alcohol. It was found that Zr loading in the catalyst increased
the acidity of the catalyst and helps dispersing the metallic Cu as well. Cu/TiO 2 was
used in the presence of green solvent cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) to achieve
100% FUR conversion and 99% selectivity of furfuryl alcohol in a microwave reactor. One of the probable causes is being the dielectric microwave heating, which
could increase the temperature of the active sites of the catalysts above the bulk
temperature. And TiO 2 having a high dielectric constant receives and absorbs the
irradiation and getting super-heated and increasing the conversion rate [34]. Cu supported on MgO-Al 2 O 3 in the presence of isopropanol generated 100% furfural conversion with 89.3% furfuryl alcohol yield. The results were due to the Cu loading in
the catalyst which influenced the catalyst’s acidity, especially the Lewis acid. With
the increase of Cu loading, weak and high basic strength sites increased. The physicochemical properties of Cu were important for the CTH of FUR, which occurred
at the surfaces of metallic sites.
3 Applications and Commercial Features of Furfural
Uses: Out of the total furfural production in the world, 60–70% is utilised for manufacturing of 2-furanmethanol or furfuryl alcohol. The remaining part is used as:
• Aromatic extractants from lubricating oils.
• Solvent used for purification of C 4 and C 5 hydrocarbons.
• Reactive solvent and wetting agent.
• Used as a chemical feed for deriving other furanic compounds.
• Used as an insecticide.
Furfural and Chemical Routes for Its Transformation into Various Products