Cooperative catalysis of Pt/C and acid resin for the production of 2,5-dimethyltetrahydrofuran from biomass derived 2,5-hexanedione under mild conditions

Conversion of biomass into 2,5-dimethyltetrahydrofuran (DMTHF), an excellent fuel additive, solvent, and industrial intermediate, is an important reaction in green chemistry. In this work, different combinations of supported metal catalysts and solid acids were investigated for the synthesis of DMTHF from biomass derived diketone (2,5-hexanedione, 2,5-HD). The results showed that commercial Pt/C and solid acid Amberlite (R) IR-120H had an excellent cooperative effect on the reaction. 2,5-HD could be converted into DMTHF with a yield up to 99% under milder conditions. Further experiments indicated that 2,5-hexanediol (2,5-HDO) is a key intermediate in the reaction. The catalyst system could be facilely recovered due to the heterogeneity and reused several times without notable change in the performance.