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Selective conversion of syngas (CO/H2 ) into C2+ oxygenates is a highly attractive but challenging target. Herein, we report the direct conversion of syngas into methyl acetate (MA) by relay catalysis. MA can be formed at a lower temperature (ca. 473 K) using Cu-Zn-Al oxide/H-ZSM-5 and zeolite mordenite (H-MOR) catalysts separated by quartz wool (denoted as Cu-Zn-Al/H-ZSM-5|H-MOR) and also at higher temperatures (603-643 K) without significant deactivation using spinel-structured ZnAl2 O4 |H-MOR. The selectivity of MA and acetic acid (AA) reaches 87 % at a CO conversion of 11 % at 643 K. Dimethyl ether (DME) is the key intermediate and the carbonylation of DME results in MA with high selectivity. We found that the relay catalysis using ZnAl2 O4 |H-MOR|ZnAl2 O4 gives ethanol as the major product, while ethylene is formed with a layer-by-layer ZnAl2 O4 |H-MOR|ZnAl2 O4 |H-MOR combination. Close proximity between ZnAl2 O4 and H-MOR increases ethylene selectivity to 65 %.

The direct synthesis of lower (C2 to C4) olefins, key building-block chemicals, from syngas (H2/CO), which can be derived from various nonpetroleum carbon resources, is highly attractive, but the selectivity for lower olefins is low because of the limitation of the Anderson-Schulz-Flory distribution. We report that the coupling of methanol-synthesis and methanol-to-olefins reactions with a bifunctional catalyst can realize the direct conversion of syngas to lower olefins with exceptionally high selectivity. We demonstrate that the choice of two active components and the integration manner of the components are crucial to lower olefin selectivity. The combination of a Zr-Zn binary oxide, which alone shows higher selectivity for methanol and dimethyl ether even at 673 K, and SAPO-34 with decreased acidity offers around 70% selectivity for C2-C4 olefins at about 10% CO conversion. The micro- to nanoscale proximity of the components favors the lower olefin selectivity.

Selectivity control is a challenging goal in Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis. Hydrogenolysis is known to occur during FT synthesis, but its impact on product selectivity has been overlooked. Demonstrated herein is that effective control of hydrogenolysis by using mesoporous zeolite Y-supported cobalt nanoparticles can enhance the diesel fuel selectivity while keeping methane selectivity low. The sizes of the cobalt particles and mesopores are key factors which determine the selectivity both in FT synthesis and in hydrogenolysis of n-hexadecane, a model compound of heavier hydrocarbons. The diesel fuel selectivity in FT synthesis can reach 60 % with a CH4 selectivity of 5 % over a Na-type mesoporous Y-supported cobalt catalyst with medium mean sizes of 8.4 nm (Co particles) and 15 nm (mesopores). These findings offer a new strategy to tune the product selectivity and possible interpretations of the effect of cobalt particle size and the effect of support pore size in FT synthesis.

Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is a key reaction in the utilization of non-petroleum carbon resources, such as methane (natural gas, shale gas, and biogas), coal, and biomass, for the sustainable production of clean liquid fuels from synthesis gas. Selectivity control is one of the biggest challenges in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. This Minireview focuses on the development of new catalysts with controllable product selectivities. Recent attempts to increase the selectivity to C5+ hydrocarbons by preparing catalysts with well-defined active phases or with new supports or by optimizing the interaction between the promoter and the active phase are briefly highlighted. Advances in developing bifunctional catalysts capable of catalyzing both CO hydrogenation to heavier hydrocarbons and hydrocracking/isomerization of heavier hydrocarbons are critically reviewed. It is demonstrated that the control of the secondary hydrocracking reactions by using core-shell nanostructures or solid-acid materials, such as mesoporous zeolites and carbon nanotubes with acid functional groups, is an effective strategy to tune the product selectivity of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Very promising selectivities to gasoline- and diesel-range hydrocarbons have been attained over some bifunctional catalysts.

Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is a key reaction in the utilization of non-petroleum carbon resources, such as methane (natural gas, shale gas, and biogas), coal, and biomass, for the sustainable production of clean liquid fuels from synthesis gas. Selectivity control is one of the biggest challenges in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. This Minireview focuses on the development of new catalysts with controllable product selectivities. Recent attempts to increase the selectivity to C5+ hydrocarbons by preparing catalysts with well-defined active phases or with new supports or by optimizing the interaction between the promoter and the active phase are briefly highlighted. Advances in developing bifunctional catalysts capable of catalyzing both CO hydrogenation to heavier hydrocarbons and hydrocracking/isomerization of heavier hydrocarbons are critically reviewed. It is demonstrated that the control of the secondary hydrocracking reactions by using core-shell nanostructures or solid-acid materials, such as mesoporous zeolites and carbon nanotubes with acid functional groups, is an effective strategy to tune the product selectivity of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Very promising selectivities to gasoline- and diesel-range hydrocarbons have been attained over some bifunctional catalysts.

National Natural Science Foundation of China [20625310, 20923004]; National Basic Research Program of China [2005CB221408, 2010CB732303]; Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education [20090121110007]; Key Scientific Project of Fujian Province [2009HZ0002-1]