Deoxygenation of Biomass-Derived Oxygenates: Reaction of Furfural on Zn-Modified Pt(111)

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) were used to characterize the adsorption and reaction of furfural on Pt(111) and Zn-modified Pt(111) surfaces. Furfural was found to bond to Pt(111) via the aromatic ring, which facilitated C–C bond scission and ring opening at low temperatures, leading to unselective decomposition to CO and H 2 . In contrast, on Zn-modified Pt(111), furfural bonds via the aldehyde carbonyl in an η 2 (C,O) configuration with the aromatic furan ring tilted away from the surface. This bonding configuration weakens the C–O bond in the carbonyl, which undergoes scission upon heating above 250 K to form a stable (C 4 H 3 O)–CH═ intermediate. These results provide useful mechanistic insights for the hydrodeoxygenation of furfural on PtZn catalysts.