Effect of the metallic particle size of supported Pt catalysts on methylcyclopentane hydrogenolysis: Understanding of the ring opening products distribution by a geometric approach

International audience; Hydrogenolysis of methylcyclopentane was studied in the presence of supported platinum catalysts, with particle sizes between 0.9 and 2.4 nm. The distribution of ring-opening products (n-hexane, 2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane), which are virtually the only products at 573 K, mainly depended on the platinum particle size, with no effect of the methylcyclopentane conversion. This distribution was well described by the selective or non-selective mechanisms previously proposed in the literature except for the smallest particles (d