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Volume 70, Issue 3
  • ISSN: 2056-5135
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  • oa Palladium on Zirconia-Titania Catalyst for Reductive Amination of Furfural

    Exploring solvent and -substrate effects

  • Authors: Alex A. Fernández-Andrade1, Daviel Gómez2, Konstanza Ortiz-Araya3, Cristian H. Campos4 and Luis E. Arteaga-Pérez5,*
  • 1 Laboratory of Thermal and Catalytic Processes (LPTC-UBB), Department of Process Engineering and Bioproducts, Engineering Faculty, University of Bío-Bío, Concepción 4030000, Chile 2 Institute of Chemical Technology, Valencia Polytechnic University-Spanish National Research Council (UPV-CSIC), Avenida de los Naranjos s/n, Valencia 46022, Spain 3 Laboratory of Gas Cromatography and Analytical Pyrolysis (LCGPA-UBB), Department of Process Engineering and Bioproducts, Engineering Faculty, University of Bío-Bío, Concepción 4030000, Chile 4 Andrés Bello University Concepción Campus, Faculty of Exact Sciences, Department of Chemical Sciences, Concepción-Talcahuano Highway 7100, Talcahuano, Chile 5 Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Concepción, Concepción, 4030000, Chile
    *[email protected]
  • Source: Johnson Matthey Technology Review, Volume 70, Issue 3, Jul 2026, e70302
  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1595/205651326X17550851489133
    • Received: 23 May 2025
    • Accepted: 13 Aug 2025

Abstract

The valorisation of furfural through reductive amination is a sustainable alternative for producing secondary aromatic amines; however, this process holds relevant scientific challenges associated to reaction conditions, catalytic materials as well as on the understanding of reaction mechanisms. This study systematically investigates the effect of the solvent and -substrates nature on the reductive amination of furfural using a bifunctional palladium on zirconia-titania catalyst. The catalyst presented an anatase titania phase, high palladium dispersion (22%) and a predominance of weak Lewis’s acid sites. The solvent screening demonstrated that methanol provided a balance of hydrogen-bonding ability and dielectric constant, which favour hydrogen dissociation at metal sites and imine adsorption at acid sites, thus favouring -furfurylaniline selectivity. Among the tested substrates the 3-fluoroaniline resulted in the highest yield and selectivity to secondary amine -furfurylaniline (Y = 76%; S = 82%), due to increased electrophilicity of the C=N group, while substituents generated hysteric hindrance, limiting -furfurylaniline formation. These findings could contribute to the rational design of catalysts and the selection of more suitable reaction systems for the reductive amination of furfural.

© 2026 Johnson Matthey
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Palladium on Zirconia-Titania Catalyst for Reductive Amination of Furfural
Johnson Matthey Technology Review 70, e70302 (2026); https://doi.org/10.1595/205651326X17550851489133
/content/journals/10.1595/205651326X17550851489133
/content/journals/10.1595/205651326X17550851489133
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