Abstract
Furfural is considered to be an essential biobased platform molecule. Recently, its electrocatalytic hydrogenation is regarded as a more environmentally friendly process compared to traditional catalytic hydrogenation. In this study, a new, continuous-flow approach enabling furfural electrocatalytic reduction was developed. In an undivided multichannel electrochemical flow reactor at ambient temperature and pressure in basic reaction conditions, the yield of furfuryl alcohol reached up to 90% in only 10 min residence time. Interestingly, the faradaic efficiency was 90%, showing a good effectiveness of the consumed electrons in the generation of the targeted compound. Furthermore, the innovation lies in the direct electrolysis using the green solvent ethanol without the need for membrane separation or catalyst modification, which offers further proof for continuous and sustainable production in industry.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 403-408 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Organic Process Research & Development |
Volume | 23 |
Issue number | 3 |
Early online date | 1 Jan 2019 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 15 Mar 2019 |
Keywords
- electrochemistry
- flow chemistry
- flow electrochemistry
- furfural
- furfuryl alcohol
- microreactor