Zr-based catalysts have been extensively applied in Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley type of catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) reactions, but they easily deactivate in the CTH conversion of high concentration of levulinic acid (LA)...

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This paper discloses a simple and productive strategy for the preparation of biochar-based bifunctional catalysts. In this strategy, very cheap bamboo powder is thermally carbonized to yield P-containing porous biochars (PBCs) by the activation of concentrated phosphoric acid (H3PO4), and the latter can be transformed into the target catalysts via loading Ru nanometer particles (NPs) on them (marked as Ru/PBCs). A series of characterizations and measurements support that PBCs have stable and rich micro-meso pores and small strong acidic protons (0.10–0.28 mmol·g−1) attributable to the grafted and/or skeleton phosphorus groups, as well as a strong affinity to β-1,4-glycosidic bonds, thus exhibiting a good acid catalytic activity for the hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose. More importantly, they are excellent acidic supports for the loading of Ru NPs owing to high BET surface area, which can give the loaded Ru NPs uniform and narrow distribution (1–6 nm). The resulting bifunctional Ru/PBCs catalysts possess excellent hydrolytic hydrogenating activity for the one-pot cascade conversion of cellulose and the optimized conditions can achieve ca. 89% hexitol yield with 98% sorbitol selectivity under relatively mild conditions. This work provides a good example for the preparation of biomass-derived bifunctional catalysts and their applications in biorefinery.