Reductive amination of furfural and furfurylamine with methoxides and MIL-53-NH2(Al)-derived Ru catalyst

•MOF-derived, Ru nanoparticles embedded alumina (Ru@Al2O3) is in situ synthesized for the reductive amination of furfural toward difurfurylamine.•Ru@Al2O3 achieves a high yield of difurfurylamine (92%) using borohydrides as the reducing agent.•Ru@Al2O3 possesses a higher degree of Ru dispersion (i.e., smaller Ru nanoparticles) compared to Ru/Al2O3 catalysts prepared by the conventional impregnation method.•Experiments and DFT calculations suggest the promotive role of methoxide in the reduction of secondary imine.