The present invention relates to a copper aluminium oxide catalyst for preparing a furfuryl alcohol from a furfural, comprising a copper-alumina spinel structure and having surface area in the range from 0.5 to 5 m.sup.2/g; wherein said catalyst is prepared from a process comprising the following steps: (i) dissolving copper salt and aluminium salt in a solvent; (ii) adding organic acid into mixture obtained from step (i); (iii) heating mixture obtained from step (ii) at the temperature higher than 150 C. until said mixture is combusted into solid; and (iv) calcining the solid obtained from step (iii) at the temperature in the range from 700 to 1,000 C. The catalyst according to the invention gives a high conversion of furfural to furfuryl alcohol and high furfuryl alcohol yield.

The present invention relates to a copper aluminium oxide catalyst for preparing a furfuryl alcohol from a furfural, comprising a copper-alumina spinel structure and having surface area in the range from 0.5 to 5 m.sup.2/g; wherein said catalyst is prepared from a process comprising the following steps: (i) dissolving copper salt and aluminium salt in a solvent; (ii) adding organic acid into mixture obtained from step (i); (iii) heating mixture obtained from step (ii) at the temperature higher than 150 C. until said mixture is combusted into solid; and (iv) calcining the solid obtained from step (iii) at the temperature in the range from 700 to 1,000 C. The catalyst according to the invention gives a high conversion of furfural to furfuryl alcohol and high furfuryl alcohol yield.

The present invention provides compounds, compositions thereof, and methods of using the same.

The present invention provides compounds, compositions thereof, and methods of using the same.

The invention comprises novel chiral metal complex compounds of the formula

##STR00001##

wherein M, PR.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are outlined in the description, its stereoisomers, in the form as a neutral complex or a complex cation with a suitable counter ion. The chiral metal complex compounds can be used in asymmetric reactions, particularly in asymmetric reductions of ketones, imines or oximes.

Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can convert feedstock materials to a sugar solution, especially, xylose, which can then be chemically converted to furfural and furfural-derived products.

Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can convert feedstock materials to a sugar solution, especially, xylose, which can then be chemically converted to furfural and furfural-derived products.

The invention discloses a coordination type zirconium phosphotungstate catalyst and its application in catalytic hydrogenation of furfural, belonging to the field of heterogeneous catalysis. The zirconium phosphotungstate catalyst prepared by the invention not only has good catalytic effect on the conversion of furfural to furfuryl alcohol, but also has mild reaction conditions. The yield of solid line furfuryl alcohol can be 98% if it can be reacted for 1 h at 120 ? C., and the amount of catalyst is less, which greatly reduces the energy consumption in the prior art. In addition, the zirconium phosphotungstate prepared by the invention is easy to separate, has good stability for catalyzing the hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol, and is a new, efficient and green catalyst.

The invention discloses a coordination type zirconium phosphotungstate catalyst and its application in catalytic hydrogenation of furfural, belonging to the field of heterogeneous catalysis. The zirconium phosphotungstate catalyst prepared by the invention not only has good catalytic effect on the conversion of furfural to furfuryl alcohol, but also has mild reaction conditions. The yield of solid line furfuryl alcohol can be 98% if it can be reacted for 1 h at 120 ? C., and the amount of catalyst is less, which greatly reduces the energy consumption in the prior art. In addition, the zirconium phosphotungstate prepared by the invention is easy to separate, has good stability for catalyzing the hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol, and is a new, efficient and green catalyst.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (5-HMF) suitable for industrial-scale production and a novel catalyst composition for use in synthesizing 5-HMF. The present invention provides a method for producing 5-HMF comprising performing a dehydration reaction of a carbohydrate comprising a hexose as a constituent sugar or a derivative thereof by using activated carbon as a catalyst; and a catalyst composition for use in the reaction for producing 5-HMF from a carbohydrate comprising a hexose as a constituent sugar through a dehydration reaction, the catalyst composition comprising activated carbon.