Direct Catalytic Conversion of Xylose Into Furfuryl Alcohol Over Bifunctional Acid‐Nickel Porous Carbon Catalysts

ABSTRACT

In recent years, significant attention has been focused on the catalytic dehydration of xylose to furfural (FF) followed by the selective hydrogenation of FF to furfuryl alcohol (FA), an important platform chemical for the production of value‐added products. However, most reported heterogeneous catalysts require multistep processes, complex preparation procedures, and the use of costly or hazardous chemicals. Herein, efficient bifunctional acid–Ni porous carbon catalysts (SO ₃ H@NiMC) were facilely synthesized and applied to the direct one‐pot conversion of xylose to FA. The catalysts exhibited favorable physicochemical properties, enabling the synergistic dehydration–hydrogenation pathway. Notably, complete xylose conversion (100%) with a high FA selectivity of 70% was achieved at 170°C within 4 h. Owing to the predominance of metallic Ni species, the conventional catalyst pre‐reduction step was eliminated. These results demonstrate that SO ₃ H@NiMC is an effective bifunctional catalyst for the direct conversion of xylose to FA, offering a practical and sustainable approach toward FA production.