Nickel-copper-containing alloy catalysts for furfural hydroconversion: the influence of composition and physicochemical features on the distribution of reaction products in various modes

In this work, nickel-copper-containing alloy catalysts with different contents of nickel oxide were prepared and used in the furfural hydroconversion to 2-methylfuran and furfuryl alcohol. The most active catalyst (7Ni$_{19}$Cu$_{61}$Fe$_{13}$Al) was chosen. We selected the reaction conditions, providing a high yield of 2-methylfuran (81 wt.%) at 100% furfural conversion in a batch reactor: $T$ = 200$^\circ$C, $P(H_2)$ = 5.0 MPa, reaction time 4 h. The selected catalyst was studied by a complex of physicochemical methods; we determined the phase and surface composition, the morphology of the active component, and the possible cause of catalyst deactivation during the reaction due to the irreversible sorption of reactants and reaction products, as well as their polymeric structures on the catalyst surface. We have demonstrated the possibility of obtaining 2-methylfuran for the 7Ni$_{19}$Cu$_{61}$Fe$_{13}$Al catalyst with a selectivity of 70% at 87% conversion of furfural in a flow-type reactor without solvent at $LHSV$ = 6 h$^{-1}$, $T$ = 200$^\circ$C, $P(H_2)$ = 5.0 MPa.