Bimetallic PtSn catalyst for the selective hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol in liquid-phase

Bimetallic PtSn catalysts, containing different amounts of tin, were obtained by means of controlled surface reactions and used in the liquid-phase hydrogenation of furfural. All the Studied systems allowed to obtain fufuryl alcohol with high selectivity (96-98%). A minor product was detected when alcoholic solvent were employed, coming from the reaction between furfuryl alcohol and the solvent. Nonalcoholic and non-polar solvents caused a drastic activity decrease. When used in consecutive hydrogenation reactions, the bimetallic catalysts showed a certain deactivation (25% between the first and third cycle), but still they were very selective to furfuryl alcohol. The most efficient system was the catalyst with the lowest tin content (PtSn0.3). (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.