Insights into the Synergistic Effect in Pd Immobilized to MOF-Derived Co-CoOx@N-Doped Carbon for Efficient Selective Hydrogenolysis of 5-Hydroxylmethylfurfural

Co-CoOx-containing N-doped porous carbon-supported palladium catalysts were prepared via a ZIF precursor calcination and a simple impregnation route. The material was employed for the hydrogenolysis of S-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF). The Co-CoOx-containing N-doped porous carbon provides a high dispersion and anchoring effect on active metal as well as abundant surface defects with strong adsorption ability to the oxygenated groups and enhanced electron transfer capability, which could promote the activation and H-2 spillover and the cascade reaction of HMF hydrogenolysis to DMF. As-obtained palladium-based nanocatalysts exhibited excellent catalytic hydrogenolysis performance, and there is no apparent change in activity in six runs. The reasonable synergism between surface defects and active metallic species is the primary reason for such excellent catalytic effects. Most importantly, the strategy proposed enables us to adjust the physicochemical properties of the catalyst surface to design new bifunctional catalysts with significantly improved performance.