The construction of novel and efficient hafnium catalysts using naturally existing tannic acid for Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley reduction

The conversion of carbonyl compounds into alcohols or their derivatives via the catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) process known as Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley reduction is an important reaction in the reaction chain involved in biomass transformation. The rational design of efficient catalysts using natural and renewable materials is critical for decreasing the catalyst cost and for the sustainable supply of raw materials during catalyst preparation. In this study, a novel hafnium-based catalyst was constructed using naturally existing tannic acid as the ligand. The prepared hafnium–tannic acid (Hf–TA) catalyst was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetry (TG). Hf–TA was applied in the conversion of furfuraldehyde (FD) to furfuryl alcohol (FA) using isopropanol (2-PrOH) as both the reaction solvent and the hydrogen source. Both preparation conditions and the effects of the reaction parameters on the performance of the catalyst were studied. Under the relatively mild reaction conditions of 70 °C and 3 h, FD (1 mmol) could be converted into FA with a high yield of 99.0%. In addition, the Hf–TA catalyst could be reused at least ten times without a notable decrease in activity and selectivity, indicating its excellent stability. It was proved that Hf–TA could also catalyze the conversion of various carbonyl compounds with different structures. The high efficiency, natural occurrence of tannic acid, and facile preparation process make Hf–TA a potential catalyst for applications in the biomass conversion field.