Isolated metal atom geometries as a strategy for selective heterogeneous hydrogenations

Boucher, Matthew B.; Kyriakou, G.; Jewell, April D.; Lewis, Emily A.; Sykes, E. Charles H.; Baber, Ashleigh E.; Flytzani-Stephanopoulos, Maria; Lawton, Timothy J.; Tierney, Heather L.

Abstract

Facile dissociation of reactants and weak binding of intermediates are key requirements for efficient and selective catalysis. However, these two variables are intimately linked in a way that does not generally allow the optimization of both properties simultaneously. By using desorption measurements in combination with high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy, we show that individual, isolated Pd atoms in a Cu surface substantially lower the energy barrier to both hydrogen uptake on and subsequent desorption from the Cu metal surface. This facile hydrogen dissociation at Pd atom sites and weak binding to Cu allow for very selective hydrogenation of styrene and acetylene as compared with pure Cu or Pd metal alone.

Citation

Boucher, M. B., Kyriakou, G., Jewell, A. D., Lewis, E. A., Sykes, E. C. H., Baber, A. E., Flytzani-Stephanopoulos, M., Lawton, T. J., & Tierney, H. L. (2012). Isolated metal atom geometries as a strategy for selective heterogeneous hydrogenations. Science, 335(6073), 1209-1212. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1215864

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 30, 2012
• Online Publication Date: Mar 8, 2012
• Publication Date: Mar 9, 2012
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Journal: Science
• Print ISSN: 0036-8075
• Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 335
• Issue: 6073
• Pages: 1209-1212
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1215864
• Keywords: Multidisciplinary
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/466682
• Publisher URL: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/335/6073/1209