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Boron-based heterogenous catalysts, such as hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) as well as supported boron oxides, are highly selective catalysts for the oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of light alkanes to olefins. Previous catalytic measurements and molecular characterization of boron-based catalysts by 11B solid-state NMR spectroscopy and other techniques suggests that oxidized/hydrolyzed boron clusters are the catalytically active sites for ODH. However, 11B solid-state NMR spectroscopy often suffers from limited resolution because boron-11 is an I = 3/2 half-integer quadrupolar nucleus. Here, ultra-high magnetic field (B0 = 35.2 T) is used to enhance the resolution of 11B solid-state NMR spectra and unambiguously determine the local structure and connectivity of boron species in h-BN nanotubes used as a ODH catalyst (spent h-BNNT), boron substituted MCM-22 zeolite [B-MWW] and silica supported boron oxide [B/SiO2] before and after use as an ODH catalyst. One-dimensional direct excitation 11B NMR spectra recorded at B0 = 35.2 T are near isotropic in nature, allowing for the easy identification of all boron species. Two-dimensional 1H-11B heteronuclear correlation NMR spectra aid in the identification of boron species with B-OH functionality. Most importantly, 2D 11B dipolar double-quantum single-quantum homonuclear correlation NMR experiments were used to unambiguously probe boron-boron connectivity within all heterogeneous catalysts. These experiments are practically infeasible at lower, more conventional magnetic fields due to a lack of resolution and reduced NMR sensitivity. The detailed molecular structures determined for the amorphous oxidized/hydrolyzed boron layers on these heterogenous catalysts will aid in the future development of next generation ODH catalysts.

The production of ethylene and propylene through aerobic alkane oxidation without significant coproduction of CO and CO2 (COx) presents a challenge to academic and industrial researchers alike. Recently, boron-containing materials such as hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) have been identified as active and selective catalysts for the oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of propane to propylene with minimal COx selectivity. Additionally, high olefin selectivity is also obtained in the oxidation of other alkanes and other materials such as metal borides and supported B/SiO2 have been successfully applied to this transformation. Recent advances in the understanding of these catalysts in the oxidation of light alkanes are presented here providing a framework for further study of this exciting field.

Nanoscale coatings of AlOx were deposited onto SiO2 using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to synthesize amorphous silica-alumina (SiAl) catalysts, and these catalysts were investigated for levoglucosanol (Lgol) hydrogenolysis. With decreasing Al2O3 loading, the ratio of Bronsted to Lewis acid sites, measured by NH3-TPD and pyridine-FTIR, systematically increases, while the Al coordination, measured by solid state 27Al NMR, decreases. These structural changes correspond to an increasing mass-normalized rate of Lgol hydrogenolysis. We model the mass-normalized reaction rate as the sum of independent contributions from Bronsted and Lewis sites, showing that Bronsted acid sites on ALD-AlOx/SiO2 catalysts have a 6-times higher turnover frequency (TOF) than Lewis acid sites on these catalysts. Additionally, Lewis acid sites on ALD-AlOx/SiO2 catalysts (potentially related to Al(V) species) have a 4-times higher TOF than Lewis acid sites on bulk γ-Al2O3. The overall mass-normalized reactivity of ALD-AlOx/SiO2 catalysts is due to Lewis acid sites at the highest Al2O3 loading, while it is predominantly due to Bronsted acid sites at the lowest Al2O3 loadings. This work provides a new approach to synthesize amorphous SiAls with tunable Bronsted/Lewis acid site ratio and reveals differences in the reactivity of Bronsted and Lewis acid sites on these materials.

Boron-containing materials have recently been identified as highly selective catalysts for the oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of alkanes to olefins. It has previously been demonstrated by several spectroscopic characterization techniques that the surface of these boron-containing ODH catalysts oxidize and hydrolyze under reaction conditions, forming an amorphous B(2)(OH)(2x)O((3 – x)) (x = 0 – 3) layer. Yet, the precise nature of the active site(s) remains elusive. In this communication, we provide a detailed characterization of zeolite MCM-22 isomorphously substituted with boron (B-MWW). Using (11)B solid-state NMR spectroscopy, we show that the majority of boron species in B-MWW exist as isolated BO(3) units, fully incorporated into the zeolite framework. However, this material shows no catalytic activity for ODH of propane to propene. The catalytic inactivity of B-MWW for ODH of propane falsifies the hypothesis that site-isolated BO(3) units are the active site in boron-based catalysts. This observation is at odds with other traditionally studied catalysts like vanadium-based catalysts and provides an important piece of the mechanistic puzzle.

The complexity of variables during incipient wetness impregnation synthesis of supported metal oxides precludes an in-depth understanding of the chemical reactions governing the formation of the dispersed oxide sites. This contribution describes the use of vapor phase deposition chemistry (also known as grafting) as a tool to systematically investigate the influence of isopropanol solvent on VO(Oi Pr)3 anchoring during synthesis of vanadium oxide on silica. The availability of anchoring sites on silica was found to depend not only on the pretreatment of the silica but also on the solvent present. H-bond donors can reduce the reactivity of isolated silanols whereas disruption of silanol nests by H-bond acceptors can turn unreactive H-bonded silanols into reactive anchoring sites. The model suggested here can inform improved syntheses with increased dispersion of metal oxides on silica.

Catalysts consisting of transition metals (Ni, Co, Cu, and Ru) supported on molybdenum oxide synthesized by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on silica were studied for synthesis gas conversion at 523 ...

The Cu-exchanged zeolite SSZ-13 is a highly active material in the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides and the conversion of methane to methanol. In this material, a distribution of ac...

We report on the oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) activity of silica-supported boron oxide prepared via incipient wetness impregnation. Characterization of pristine and spent catalysts with infrared...

Raman spectroscopy is a widely employed tool for characterization of heterogeneous catalysts, although it suffers somewhat from poor sensitivity at low concentrations or under in situ conditions. I...

Plastic solid waste (PSW) is an ever-growing environmental challenge for our society, as it not only ends up in landfills but also in waterways and oceans and is consequently entering the food chain. A key strategy to overcome this problem while also preserving carbon resources is to use PSW as a feedstock, evolving towards a circular economy. To implement this, mechanical as well as chemical recycling technologies must be developed. Indeed, owing to the high volume of PSW generated each year, mechanical recycling alone is not adequate for addressing this global challenge. Because of this, chemical recycling via thermal and heterogeneous catalytic conversion has received growing attention. This process has the potential to take PSW and convert it into usable monomers, fuels, synthesis gas, and adsorbents under more sustainable conditions than thermal degradation. This Review highlights the recent research advances in catalytic technologies for PSW conversion and valorization.

The coupling of ethanol to produce C4-compounds by Guerbet condensation at 325 °C was studied using porous mixed oxide catalysts of AlMgO and AlCaO prepared by the emulsion mediated method with and without the addition of Cu. The synthesis procedure was effective in preparing materials with higher porosity and BET area. Cu catalysts show improved yields and selectivities at elevated H2 pressures, which is related to ethanol dehydrogenation equilibrium shifts. Without Cu, AlMgO catalysts were more selective to diethyl ether (45–55 C%) than higher alcohols and aldehydes (30–40 C%), while AlCaO catalysts had no activity for ethanol conversion. The addition of Cu inhibited production of diethyl ether while promoting dehydrogenation to acetaldehyde, the initial step in Guerbet coupling of ethanol. Copper addition increased the activity and the selectivity to higher alcohols and aldehydes (up to 55 C% selectivity) for all catalysts. Olefins and paraffins comprised the majority of the side products formed with Cu-doped catalysts. The ethanol conversion levels off near 30% with decreasing space velocity due to inhibition by water and other products.

The catalytic properties of zeolites are intimately linked to the distribution and relative positions of Al atoms and defects in the pore network. However, characterizing this distribution is challenging, in particular when different local Al arrangements are considered. In this contribution we use a combination of first principles calculations and experimental measurements to develop a model for the Al-distribution in protonated SSZ-13. We furthermore apply this model to understand trends in OH-IR, 27Al-NMR and 29Si-NMR spectra. We use a Boltzmann distribution to predict the proton position for a given local Al configuration and show that for each configuration several H positions are occupied. Therefore a multi-peak spectrum in OH-IR vibrational spectroscopy is observed for all Al configurations, which is in line with experimentally measured spectra for zeolites at different Si/Al ratios. From NMR spectroscopy we find that the proton position leads to significant shifts in 27Al-NMR and 29Si-NMR spectra due to the modification of the local strain, which is lost when a uniform background charge is introduced. These findings are supported by experimental measurements. Finally we discuss the shortcomings of the presented model in terms of unit cell size and the impact of adjacent unit cells.

Boron-containing materials, and in particular boron nitride, have recently been identified as highly selective catalysts for the oxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes such as propane. To date, no mechanism exists that can explain both the unprecedented selectivity, the observed surface oxyfunctionalization, and the peculiar kinetic features of this reaction. We combine catalytic activity measurements with quantum chemical calculations to put forward a bold new hypothesis. We argue that the remarkable product distribution can be rationalized by a combination of surface-mediated formation of radicals over metastable sites, and their sequential propagation in the gas phase. Based on known radical propagation steps, we quantitatively describe the oxygen pressure-dependent relative formation of the main product propylene and by-product ethylene. Free radical intermediates most likely differentiate this catalytic system from less selective vanadium-based catalysts.

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT) were recently reported as highly selective catalysts for the oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of alkanes to olefins in the gas phase. Previous studies revealed a substantial increase in surface oxygen content after exposure to ODH conditions (heating to ca. 500 °C under a flow of alkane and oxygen); however, the complexity of these materials has thus far precluded an in-depth understanding of the oxygenated surface species. In this contribution, we combine advanced NMR spectroscopy experiments with scanning electron microscopy and soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy to characterize the molecular structure of the oxygen functionalized phase that arises on h-BN and BNNT following catalytic testing for ODH of propane. The pristine BN materials are readily oxidized and hydrolyzed under ODH reaction conditions to yield a phase consisting of three-coordinate boron sites with variable numbers of hydroxyl and bridging oxide groups which is denoted B(OH)

In this contribution, we investigate the effect of various reactor parameters on the oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of propane using a hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) heterogeneous catalyst. The analysis begins with an assessment of the influence of mass and heat transport on the observed ODH activity. Unexpected experimental results during this analysis prompted us to investigate the use of SiC as an inert catalyst diluent, and we found an increase in propane conversion with increasing diluent content in the reactor. Control experiments suggested that SiC itself is catalytically inactive and that there may be a significant influence of gas-phase chemistry on the observed reactivity.

Covalent organic framework (COF) represents an emerging class of porous materials that have exhibited great potential in various applications, particularly in catalysis. In this work, we report a newly designed 2D COF with incorporated Re complex, which exhibits intrinsic light absorption and charge separation (CS) properties. We show that this hybrid catalyst can efficiently reduce CO2 to form CO under visible light illumination with high electivity (98%) and better activity than its homogeneous Re counterpart. More importantly, using advanced transient optical and X-ray absorption spectroscopy and in situ diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, we unraveled three key intermediates that are responsible for CS, the induction period, and rate limiting step in catalysis. This work not only demonstrates the potential of COFs as next generation photocatalysts for solar fuel conversion but also provide unprecedented insight into the mechanistic origins for light-driven CO2 reduction.

The catalytic conversion of synthesis gas to value-added oxygenates and light hydrocarbons was studied on Rh and Rh–Mn clusters on tungsten carbide-overcoated silica (WxC/SiO2) at 523 K, 580 psi, and CO/H2 = 1/1. The WxC-modified SiO2 support was prepared by the overcoating of WOx on SiO2 using atomic layer deposition (ALD) followed by carburization. The reactivities of Rh/WxC/SiO2 catalysts with varying number of ALD cycles (number of cycles = 2, 5, 10, 20, and 30) were measured and showed that 5 ALD cycles of WxC suppressed the formation of methane. All WxC-modified catalysts showed enhancement in selectivity toward methanol and ethanol through CO hydrogenation and acetaldehyde hydrogenation, respectively. These catalysts also improved the overall turnover frequency (TOF). The addition of Mn species further promoted the activity and the selectivity toward ethanol and C2+ hydrocarbons, especially light alkenes. The best performing Rh-2Mn/5cycle-WxC/SiO2 catalyst (Rh:Mn molar ratio = 1:2) achieved 84.7% s...

Industrial dimerization of ethylene to 1-butene is achieved with catalysts bearing ligand structures and activated by a co-catalyst. Here, we report that a Cr-promoted cobalt oxide on carbon catalyst was able to produce 1-butene with 53.5–82.4% total selectivity at ethylene conversions between 8.9 and 31.5% without the use of a co-catalyst. The Cr-promoted catalyst showed enhanced activity and stability compared to the nonpromoted catalyst. The characterization results revealed that the incorporation of Cr into the cobalt oxide on carbon catalyst was able to decrease the cobalt oxide particle size. Charge transfer from Cr to Co was also observed in the Cr-promoted catalyst compared to monometallic Co and Cr on carbon. The kinetic model built to rationalize the experimental observations predicted a 50% increase in active site dispersion in the Cr-promoted catalyst, which explained the 1.6× apparent reaction rate increase compared to the nonpromoted catalyst.

Cellulose-derived tetrahydrofuran-dimethanol (THFDM) can be converted over Pt-WOx/TiO2 catalysts to 1,6-hexanediol (1,6-HDO) with up to 70% yield. This reaction involves ring-opening of THFDM to 1,2,6-hexanetriol (HTO) and then hydrogenolysis of HTO to 1,6-HDO. Hydrogen atoms spill over from Pt sites onto WOx/TiO2 to reduce the W═O functional group and create Bronsted acid sites. Similar catalytic activity for THFDM conversion can be been obtained with a physical mixture of Pt/TiO2 and WOx/TiO2 due to hydrogen spillover over spatially separate Pt and WOx when a reducible support (TiO2) is used.

Cobalt oxide supported on N-doped carbon catalysts were investigated for 1-butene oligomerization. The materials were synthesized by treating activated carbon with nitric acid and subsequently with NH3 at 200, 400, 600, and 800 °C, followed by impregnation with cobalt. The 1-butene oligomerization selectivity increased with ammonia treatment temperature of the carbon support. The oligomerization selectivity of cobalt oxide on N-doped carbon synthesized at 800 °C (800A-CoOx/N-C) is 2.6 times higher than previously reported cobalt oxide on N-doped carbon synthesized with NH4OH (2A-CoOx/N-C). Over 70% of the butene dimers were linear C8 olefins for all catalysts. The oligomerization selectivity increased with 1-butene conversion. The catalysts were characterized by elemental analysis, N2 adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The nitrogen content of the catalysts increases with ammonia treatment temperature as confirmed by element...

A nitrogen-doped carbon-supported cobalt oxide catalyst is able to oligomerize ethylene, propylene, 1-butene and 1-hexene into mixtures of oligomers with above 94.1% dimers. Higher than 72.5% of the dimers produced from 1-butene and 1-hexene are internal linear olefins, while the dimer products from propylene oligomerization are 47.0% linear including 5.9% 1-hexene. Ethylene had the highest oligomerization activity with 56.1–87.0% 1-butene selectivity. The selectivity to linear alpha olefins decreases with an increasing oligomer chain length during ethylene oligomerization. The oligomers formed from ethylene conversion follow a Schulz-Flory distribution. Cossee type mechanism rationalizes the product selectivity from the four olefin feeds, suggesting that a 1,2-2,1 insertion sequence is critical to obtaining linear olefin products. The catalyst was inactive in oligomerizing internal olefins.

Due to an increasing gap between the demand and supply, the catalytic coupling of ethanol has regained the attention of the scientific and industrial community as an "on-purpose" production route to butadiene. The most promising systems are based on bifunctional catalysts, comprising of metal sites that can dehydrogenate ethanol to acetaldehyde, and Lewis acid sites that catalyze the aldol condensation between two aldehyde molecules, as well as the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) reduction of the intermediate crotonaldehyde. Here, we investigate the role of Ag in an established Ag-Zr-BEA catalyst using modulated operando DRIFTS-MS experiments. We obtain insights into the complex reaction network that involves several consecutive and parallel reactions. Based on our investigations, we formulate suggestions for catalyst optimization.

In this work, we investigate the influence of the Sn-loading and the pore size of MCM-41 materials on catalytic nopol production. Sn(IV) was anchored onto MCM-41 by incipient wetness impregnation with metal coverages within 0.01 and 0.5 Sn nm–2 (i.e., below the monolayer content). We provide evidence that at coverages below 0.06 Sn nm–2, Sn(IV) is predominantly present as isolated centers, whereas at higher coverages octahedral and/or oligomeric species are formed, which exhibit lower catalytic activity. The rate of nopol production over Sn/MCM-41 was ten times higher than that of analogous Sn silica gel materials. The turnover frequency features a maximum as a function of Sn coverage between 0.03 and 0.05 Sn nm–2 for Sn/MCM-41 catalysts and 0.15 Sn nm–2 for Sn silica gel materials. These results show that both the metal content and pore size can be tuned to enhance catalytic performance of Sn/MCM-41 materials.

Cu-exchanged small-pore zeolites (CHA and AEI) form methanol from methane (>95% selectivity) using a 3-step cyclic procedure (Wulfers et al. Chem. Commun. 2015, 51, 4447−4450) with methanol amounts higher than Cu-ZSM-5 and Cu-mordenite on a per gram and per Cu basis. Here, the CuxOy species formed on Cu-SSZ-13 and Cu-SSZ-39 following O2 or He activation at 450 °C are identified as trans-μ-1,2-peroxo dicopper(II) ([Cu2O2]2+) and mono-(μ-oxo) dicopper(II) ([Cu2O]2+) using synchrotron X-ray diffraction, in situ UV–vis, and Raman spectroscopy and theory. [Cu2O2]2+ and [Cu2O]2+ formed on Cu-SSZ-13 showed ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) energies between 22,200 and 35,000 cm–1, Cu–O vibrations at 360, 510, 580, and 617 cm–1 and an O–O vibration at 837 cm–1. The vibrations at 360, 510, 580, and 837 cm–1 are assigned to the trans-μ-1,2-peroxo dicopper(II) species, whereas the Cu–O vibration at 617 cm–1 (Δ18O = 24 cm–1) is assigned to a stretching vibration of a thermodynamically favored mono-(μ-oxo) dicoppe...

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is presented as an outstanding catalyst for the selective production of C4 olefins by the oxidative dehydrogenation of n-butane and isobutane. Unlike catalysts reported previously, hBN limits the amount of undesired COx and instead forms C2 and C3 olefins as the main side products. Kinetic experiments suggest a mechanism in which the rates of n-butane and isobutane consumption are dependent on O2 adsorption. Kinetic and spectroscopic insights are used to formulate mechanistic hypotheses for the formation mechanisms of C2–C4 olefins.

The Cu-exchanged zeolite SSZ-13 is an efficient catalyst in the selective catalytic reduction of nitrous oxides in the presence of ammonia, and understanding the nature of the active sites under realistic conditions is important in rationalizing its activity. Especially the interactions between Cu and water have drawn significant amounts of attention in recent years. In this work we develop a thermodynamic model for the water coordination of Cu based on static calculations and present occupational probabilities and phase diagrams for different Al distributions at different temperatures and water pressures. We find that only at high temperatures and low pressures is the bare Cu cation the most stable species and that the cation is solvated at lower temperatures and higher pressures. In the following we compare our results to experimental and theoretical work in this field and find good agreement. This work shows that it is possible to construct an accurate thermodynamic model for water interactions with Cu...

In recent years, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has emerged as an unexpected catalyst for the oxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes. Here, the versatility of hBN was extended to alkane oxidative cracking chemistry by investigating the production of ethylene and propylene from n-butane. Cracking selectivity was primarily controlled by the ratio of n-butane to O2 within the reactant feed. Under O2 -lean conditions, increasing temperature led to increased selectivity to ethylene and propylene and decreased selectivity to COx . In addition to surface-mediated chemistry, homogeneous gas-phase reactions likely contributed to the observed product distribution, and a reaction mechanism was proposed based on these observations. The catalyst showed good stability under oxidative cracking conditions for 100 h time-on-stream while maintaining high selectivity to ethylene and propylene.

Propylene is an important chemical feedstock that is largely produced via cracking of oil-derived naphtha. Direct conversion of propane into propylene may be a more attractive alternative. Specifically, propane dehydrogenation (DH) and oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) are promising for this transformation, albeit only DH has been industrially implemented. However, even the best DH catalysts (Pt-based) still suffer from deactivation. VOx- and BOx-based ODH catalysts result in significant over-oxidation and lack a mechanistic understanding. A common challenge in developing these catalysts is the broad distribution of surface species caused by the use of non-ordered catalyst supports. This hampers clear structure-performance correlations. Recent progress in the preparation of well-defined active sites on ordered supports has brought about improved catalysts, as well as fundamental insight into the working mechanism. This review will highlight recent advancements in the development of these catalysts and provide direction on the use of ordered supports for propane upgrading.

In situ and operando spectroscopic techniques are crucial for our understanding of complex heterogeneously catalyzed reactions. Under actual reaction conditions, however, many phenomena such as adsorption, (by)-product formation, and desorption of various species in different phases occur simultaneously, leading to crowded spectra that are difficult to interpret. About 15 years ago, modulation excitation spectroscopy (MES) was introduced to the heterogeneous catalysis community and has been increasingly applied since then. The periodic perturbation of a given system, in combination with phase-sensitive detection (PSD) analysis, significantly reduces noise, distinguishes between active and spectator species, and enables extraction of kinetic information. In this review article, we discuss the origin and theory of MES, summarize different application examples (with an emphasis on heterogeneous catalysis), and suggest future developments of the technique.

A series of supported two- and three-dimensional vanadium oxide surface species on β-SiC with various V coverages are prepared via incipient wetness impregnation and characterized by a variety of ex and in situ techniques. The oxidative dehydrogenation of propane (ODHP) is also used as a probe reaction to complementarily distinguish between two- and three-dimensional VOx surface species. Herein, we show that treating pristine β-SiC with oxygen transforms the existing amorphous SiOxCy surface layer into a more SiO2-type layer, though with a negligible formation of Si–OH sites, which initially were expected to be the anchor sites for VOx species. In its place, the C–OH functional groups identified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) act as anchor sites for the VOx species during the impregnation process, and are consumed as a function of V coverage. Our experimental observations all corroborate the formation of two- and three-dimensional VOx species on the surface of β-SiC.

In this work we present an alternate method for the conversion of tetrahydropyran-2-methanol (THP2M), a cellulose-derived renewable building block, to 1,6-hexanediol (1,6-HDO). Our method is composed of three consecutive steps that either use relatively inexpensive catalysts or no catalyst at all. First, THP2M is catalytically dehydrated to 2,3,4,5-tetrahydrooxepine (THO) in up to 40% yield. THO is then hydrated to 2-oxepanol (OXL) and 6-hydroxyhexanal (6HDHX) with a combined yield of 85% in the absence of a catalyst. OXL and 6HDHX are then quantitatively hydrogenated to 1,6-HDO over a commercially available Ni/C or Ru/C catalyst. Various silicoaluminates were screened for the first acid-catalyzed reaction, and it was found that K-BEA shows the highest THO yield (40% over fresh catalyst, 20% after 25 h on stream). An overall 1,6-HDO yield of 34% from THP2M was obtained.

Catalytic strategies for the synthesis of 1,5-pentanediol (PDO) with 69% yield from hemicellulose and the synthesis of 1,6-hexanediol (HDO) with 28% yield from cellulose are presented. Fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass (white birch wood chips) in gamma-valerolactone (GVL)/H2O generates a pure cellulose solid and a liquid stream containing hemicellulose and lignin, which is further dehydrated to furfural with 85% yield. Furfural is converted to PDO with sequential dehydration, hydration, ring-opening tautomerization, and hydrogenation reactions. Acid-catalyzed cellulose dehydration in tetrahydrofuran (THF)/H2O produces a mixture of levoglucosenone (LGO) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), which are converted with hydrogen to tetrahydrofuran-dimethanol (THFDM). HDO is then obtained from hydrogenolysis of THFDM. Techno-economic analysis demonstrates that this approach can produce HDO and PDO at a minimum selling price of $4090 per ton.

Boron nitride catalysis Propene is one of the highest-volume organic chemicals produced. Propene has mainly been made from naphtha, but changes in the global supply chain are creating shortages. Direct conversion from propane, a component of natural gas, via reaction with oxygen is an attractive alternative, but existing approaches produce a large fraction of unwanted CO and CO 2 . Grant et al. report that boron nitride, normally an unreactive material, has high selectivity to catalyze the production of propene (77%) and ethene (13%). Science , this issue p. 1570

Snβ zeolites are amongst the most effective heterogeneous catalysts for the Baeyer-Villiger (BV) oxidation of ketones with aqueous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The high selectivity is rooted in the activation of the carbonyl substrate through interaction with the isolated SnIV-sites. However, these sites are also accessible to other molecules in the reaction mixture (in particular the co-solvent and product). In this contribution, we report on the impact of competitive adsorption on the Snβ-catalyzed BV oxidation of cyclohexanone with aqueous H2O2. We furthermore prepared a series of Snβ zeolites with varying amounts of framework silanols and quantified their hydrophilicities with water adsorption and IR experiments. By correlating the results with catalytic data, we show that Snβ zeolites with an intermediate hydrophilicity achieve the highest activity. Our adaptable post-synthetic synthesis allows us to tune the material synthesis, resulting in enhanced activity compared to conventional hydrothermal Snβ.

Supported Pt-Mo catalysts were prepared with different Mo contents by a controlled surface reaction (CSR) method and studied for the reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction under dark and visible light irradiation conditions. Characterization results from Raman spectroscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), CO chemisorption, and inductively coupled plasma-absorption emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) indicate that selective Mo deposition onto Pt was achieved at low Mo loading (Mo/Pt ratio

Transition metal-oxo centers in zeolites are known to be active in the conversion of methane to methanol. Here, we study this reaction over Fe-oxo sites in the zeolite SSZ-13. By comparing calculations for the fully periodic structure and a cluster for two different methods—the standard van der Waals corrected semilocal density functional PBE-D2 and ACFDT-RPA, which is a method where correlation is calculated fully nonlocally—we find that it is actually the confining environment in the zeolite that reduces the barrier for this reaction, by more than 50%, and we find that the two applied methods lead to qualitatively different results.

In recent years, the on-purpose production of 1,3-butadiene (BD) from renewable resources such as ethanol has received increased attention. In that context, Lewis acid catalysts play an important role, especially in the two-step process, i.e. when a mixture of acetaldehyde and ethanol is used as substrate. As the reaction mechanism consists of many intermediates and occurs over different catalytic functionalities, it is notoriously difficult to gain molecular-level insights into the mechanism. Here, we present a study on Lewis acidic Ta-BEA and propose a plausible reaction mechanism. We developed an operando DRIFTS-MS setup that allows for precise control and analysis of changes in the gas-phase composition as well as surface species. Using this tool, we found a surface intermediate with a vibrational frequency at 1690 cm–1 that is only formed in the presence of both ethanol and crotonaldehyde and that is likely involved in the production of BD. Our data further suggests that a subtle control of the ratio...

Linear octenes were produced in high (70–85%) selectivity from oligomerization of liquid 1-butene using carbon-supported cobalt oxide catalysts in a continuous flow reactor. The liquid products were characterized by two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Above 95% of the oligomers were C8 olefins, with the other products primarily being branched C12 olefins. The linear octene products at a conversion of 9.77% decreased in selectivity according to 3-octene > trans-2-octene > cis-2-octene > 4-octene. Methyl-heptenes including trans/cis-5-methyl-2-heptene > trans/cis-5-methyl-3-heptene > trans-3-methyl-2-heptene (at the lowest conversion) were the other major products summing to 15.6%. The selectivity of linear octenes decreased from 84 to 78% as the conversion increased from 10% to 29%. The product distribution suggests the reaction pathway involves a head-to-head coupling of two 1-butene molecules to form internal linear octenes. Head-to-tail coupling of two 1-butene molecules or a coupling ...

Partially oxidized surfaces of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and several metal borides are unexpectedly excellent catalysts for oxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes to olefins, but the nature of the active site(s) on these B-containing interfaces remains elusive. We characterize the surface of the partially oxidized B-rich hBN surface under reaction conditions from first principles. The interface has thermal access to multiple different stoichiometries and multiple structures of each stoichiometry. The size of the thermal ensemble is composition-dependent. The phase diagram of the interface constructed on the basis of the statistical ensembles of many accessible states is very different from the one based on global minima. Phase boundaries shift and blur, and phases consist of several stoichiometries and structures. The BO layer transiently exposes the reactive -B═O motifs in the metastable states. The fluxionality and structural diversity emerging under reaction conditions must be taken into account in theoretically descriptions of the catalytic interface.

ConspectusLight olefins such as ethylene and propylene form the foundation of the modern chemical industry, with yearly production volumes well into the hundreds of millions of metric tons. Currently, these light olefins are mainly produced via energy-intensive steam cracking. Alternatively, oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of light alkanes to produce olefins allows for lower operation temperatures and extended catalyst lifetimes, potentially leading to valuable process efficiencies. The potential benefits of this route have led to significant research interest due to the wide availability of natural gas from shale deposits. Advances in this area have still not yielded catalysts that are sufficiently selective to olefins for industrial implementation, and ODH still remains a holy grail of selective alkane oxidation research. The main challenge in selective oxidation lies in preventing the overoxidation of the desired product, such as propylene during propane oxidation, to CO and CO2. Research into selectiv...

The one-pot conversion of xylose into GVL in 2-propanol has been achieved over bifunctional Zr- and Al-containing beta zeolite catalysts, prepared via a post-synthetic route, possessing both Bronsted and Lewis functionalities. A GVL yield of 35 mol% was obtained at 190 °C after 48 h.

Tetrahydropyran-2-methanol undergoes selective C–O–C hydrogenolysis to produce 1,6-hexanediol using a bifunctional RhRe (reducible metal with an oxophilic promoter) catalyst supported on Vulcan XC-72 carbon (VXC) with >90% selectivity. This RhRe/VXC catalyst is stable over 40 h of reaction in a continuous flow fixed bed reactor. The hydrogenolysis activity of RhRe/VXC is two orders-of-magnitude higher than that of RhRe supported on Norit Darco 12X40 activated carbon (NDC). STEM–EDS analysis reveals that, compared to the RhRe/VXC catalyst, the Re and Rh component metals are segregated on the surface of the low activity RhRe/NDC catalyst, suggesting that Rh and Re in close proximity (“bimetallic” particles) are required for an active hydrogenolysis catalyst. Differences in metal distribution on the carbon surfaces are, in turn, linked to the properties of the carbons: NDC has both a higher surface area and surface oxygen content. The low areal density of Rh and Re precursors on the high area NDC and/or interactions of the precursors with its O functional groups may interfere with the formation of the bimetallic species required for an active catalyst.

Heterogeneous metal oxide catalysts are widely studied for the aerobic oxidations of C1–C4 alkanes to form olefins and oxygenates. In this review, we outline the properties of supported metal oxides, mixed-metal oxides, and zeolites and detail their most common applications as catalysts for partial oxidations of light alkanes. By doing this we establish similarities between different classes of metal oxides and identify common themes in reaction mechanisms and research strategies for catalyst improvement. For example, almost all partial alkane oxidations, regardless of the metal oxide, follow Mars–van Krevelen reaction kinetics, which utilize lattice oxygen atoms to reoxidize the reduced metal centers while the gaseous O2 reactant replenishes these lattice oxygen vacancies. Many of the most-promising metal oxide catalysts include V5+ surface species as a necessary constituent to convert the alkane. Transformations involving sequential oxidation steps (i.e., propane to acrylic acid) require specific reacti...

The discovery of new materials tailored for a given application typically requires the screening of a large number of compounds, and this process can be significantly accelerated by computational analysis. In such an approach the performance of a compound is correlated to a materials property, a so-called descriptor. Here we develop a descriptor-based approach for the adsorption of CO and NO to Cu, Ni, Co, and Fe sites in zeolites. We start out by discussing a possible design strategy for zeolite catalysts, define the studied test set of sites in the zeolites SSZ-13 and mordenite, and define a set of appropriate descriptors. In a subsequent step we use these descriptors in single-parameter, two-parameter, and multiparameter regression analysis and finally use a machine-learning genetic algorithm to reduce the number of variables. We find that one or two descriptors are not sufficient to accurately capture the interactions between molecules and metal centers in zeolites, and indeed a multiparameter approac...

M-WOx/TiO2 (M = Pt-, Rh-, Pd-, and Ru) catalysts were prepared and studied for tetrahydrofuran-dimethanol (THFDM) hydrogenolysis. All catalysts have a small metal particle size (

We investigate the chemical reactions involved during the synthesis of supported vanadium oxide catalysts using chemical grafting of vanadium oxytriisopropoxide (VO(OiPr)3) to thermally pretreated silica under solvent-free conditions. VO(OiPr)3 is found to react with both site-isolated silanol (Si−OH) groups and strained siloxane (≡Si−O−Si≡) bridges at the silica surface. Solid-state 51V and 13C MAS NMR confirms the formation of two slightly different vanadium species associated with the two anchoring mechanisms. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), in situ Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry-mass spectrometry (TGA-DSC-MS) were used to study the subsequent calcination, revealing the formation of a transient V—OH intermediate upon the release of propene, followed by the formation of isolated VO4 surface species upon elimination of water. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and 51V MAS NMR of the calcined material confirm the conversion of the two original vanadium sites to a species with a single isotropic shift, confirming the formation of isolated, tetrahedral VO4 sites., Chemistry of Materials, 28 (15), ISSN:0897-4756

Dr. Frank Krumeich is gratefully thanked for the SEM-EDX measurements. We also thank Dr. Ta-Chung Ong and Wei-Chih Liao for their help with some of the DNP-NMR experiments.; International audience; Sn-beta zeolites prepared using different recipes feature very different catalytic activities for aqueous phase glucose isomerization, suggesting the presence of different active sites. A systematic study of the morphology and atomic-level structure of the materials using DNP NMR spectroscopy in combination with first-principles calculations allows for the discrimination between potential sites and leads to a proposal of specific structural features that are important for high activity. The results indicate that the materials showing the highest activity possess a highly hydrophobic, defect-free zeolite framework. Those materials show so-called closed and associated partially hydrolyzed Sn(IV) sites in the T6 and T5/T7 lattice positions. On the other hand, postsynthetically synthesized Sn-beta samples prepared in two steps via dealumination and subsequent solid-state ion exchange from Al-beta show significantly lower activity, which is associated with a hydrophilic framework and/or a lower accessibility and different lattice position of the Sn sites in the zeolite crystal. Further, we provide a method to distinguish between different Sn sites on the basis of NMR cartography using chemical shift and chemical shift anisotropy as readily measurable parameters. This cartography allows identifying not only the nature of the active sites (closed, defect-open, and hydrolyzed-open) but also their position within the BEA framework.

Understanding the fundamental properties of the Cu-exchanged zeolite SSZ-13, a catalyst for the selective catalytic reduction of nitrous oxides in the presence of ammonia, is a major challenge. Recent results for vibrational spectroscopy show that the active Cu centers are not static at room temperature, but change their coordination regularly when probe molecules are adsorbed. In this work we model the movement of bare Cu cations in SSZ-13 at room temperature (300 K) using ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations. We find that Cu cations also change their coordination without adsorbent. We identify different coordinations for different oxidation states and analyze their distribution in dependence on the local Al position. The results in this work show that this thermal motion of the cation is a general feature, which probably influences the interpretation of various characterization methods as well as reaction path analysis. In the future it will be interesting to see which conditions have to be fulfilled that similar phenomena can also be observed for other systems.