Role of the Cu-ZrO_(2) interface in the hydrogenation of levulinic acid to γ-valerolactone

Here we exquisitely fabricated Cu/ZrO_(2)-dp catalysts with plentiful Cu-ZrO_(2)interfaces by depositing amorphous ZrO_(2)onto Cu nanoparticles for the hydrogenation of levulinic acid(LA)to y-valerolactone(GVL).With the created plentiful CU-ZrO_(2)interfaces,the optimal catalyst 3 Cu/ZrO_(2)-dp exhibited exceptional catalytic performance under mild reaction conditions,and achieved the highest GVL mass productivity of 266.0 mmol GVL·h^(-1)·g^(-1)Cu,which was 12.5 and 2.3 times of CU/ZrO_(2)catalysts with equivalent Cu loadings prepared by traditional impregnation(3 Cu/ZrO_(2)-im)or co-precipitation(3 Cu/ZrO_(2)-cp).As far as we know,this GVL mass productivity stood at the highest level compared with those obtained using non-noble metal catalysts under similar reaction conditions.By systematic investigation with multiple characterizations,density functional theory(DFT)calculations,and kinetic studies,it was found that interfacial active centers were created at Cu-ZrO_(2)interfaces,which contained oxygen vacancies(O_(v)),negatively charged Cu^(δ)-and partially reduced Zr^(3+)The O_(v) favored the adsorption and activation of LA via its ketone group,while negatively charged Cu^(δ)-was able to enhance heterolysis of H2,which resulted in the formation of H^(+)-Cu^(δ)-and Zr^(3+)-H^(-)active species via hydrogen spillover.Also,plentiful acid sites,which derived from coordinatively unsaturated and defective Zr species,generated at Cu-ZrO_(2)interfaces.With the cooperation of interfacial active centers(Cu^(δ-)-O_(v)-Zr^(3+))and acid sites,the fabricated 3 Cu/ZrO_(2)-dp with plentiful Cu-ZrO_(2)interfaces achieved excellent catalytic performance for the hydrogenation of LA to GVL.Hence,the synergistic catalysis of Cu-ZrO_(2)interfaces provided an effective strategy for designing catalysts with a satisfactory performance for the hydrogenation of LA,which also can be expanded to other hydrodeoxygenation reactions.