Organodiphosphonate Zr-MOF: A highly efficient catalyst for Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction of furfural

Tetraethyl p-xylenediphosphate is used as the organic ligand to prepare the organodiphosphonate Zr-based metal organic frameworks (ZrP-MOF). The physicochemical characterizations of ZrP-MOF under different hydrothermal and calcination conditions were performed by various analytical techniques. ZrP-MOF was then employed as a catalyst for the catalytic transfer hydrogenation of furfural with alcohol as the hydrogen donor, and the preparation parameters and catalytic properties of ZrP-MOF were investigated. Compared with fresh ZrP-MOF, the furfural conversion of ZrP-MOF calcined at 825 K increased from 43.5% to 95.1%. Calcination can significantly increase the Lewis/Bronsted acid ratio and enlarge the pore structure of ZrP-MOF, which promote the furfural catalytic transfer hydrogenation reaction over Zr-O based on the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction.