High-efficiency oxidative esterification of furfural to methylfuroate with a non-precious metal Co-N-C/MgO catalyst

The non-precious metal catalyst Co-N-C/MgO showed high efficiency in the oxidative esterification of furfural to methylfuroate (93.0% conversion and 98.5% selectivity). The reaction with the catalyst Co-N-C(HCl) proceeded via a condensation pathway with acetal as the dominant product.