Furfuryl-alcohol is prepd. by hydrogenating furfural with 80% H contg. synthesis gas on a CuO-ZnO-Al2O3 ternary catalyst either freshly prepd. or used previously for prepn. of methanol. The catalyst has the following element compsn.: Cu:47.9%; Zn:10.6%; Al:0-4.5%, and a pore vol. of Vp=0.156g/cu.cm prior to being activated in vapour phase at atmospheric pressure.
