Cu–Sn Bimetallic\nActivated Carbon–Carbon\nCoupling for Efficient Furfural Electroreduction

Abstract

Electrochemically driven carbon–carbon coupling\nutilizing\nrenewable electricity under ambient conditions has emerged as an innovative\napproach for synthesizing high-value chemicals, which still faces\ninherent challenges such as low conversion rates and poor selectivity.\nWhile electroreducing furfural to hydrofuroin can produce high-quality\nbiofuel, its efficiency need to be promoted. Herein, Cu–Sn\nbimetallic catalyst has been developed with a conversion rate of furfural\nof >97% and hydrofuroin selectivity of >67% through equilibrium\nof\nthe interfacial intermediate *H and *<i>fur</i>-CHOH, which\nexhibits the greatest state-of-the-art overall performance. Characterization\nand theoretical calculation reveal that Cu serves as the active site\nfor generating *<i>fur</i>-CHOH, whose electron density\ncan be decreased by introducing Sn, and results in a higher *<i>fur</i>-CHOH coverage and a lower energy barrier of dimerization.\nMoreover, adding Sn also enables sluggish *H formation to balance\ninterfacial *<i>fur</i>-CHOH and *H, leading to reduced\nhydrogenation byproducts. The as-developed approach provides valuable\ninsights for optimizing other C–C electrocoupling reactions\nfor the synthesis of high-value chemicals.