Pub Date : 2025-02-28DOI: 10.1007/s10562-025-04970-5
Songshuang Cao, Xiaomei Wu, Baodi Ma, Yi Xu
Aliphatic chiral secondary alcohols are important chiral intermediates widely used in the synthesis of drugs and fine chemicals. The whole cells of recombinant E. coli co-expressing alcohol dehydrogenase and glucose dehydrogenase were used to catalyze the asymmetric reduction of three fatty ketones without the addition of exogenous cofactors. The reaction medium and reaction conditions were systematically studied. As expected, the kinds of co-solvents, the molar ratio of glucose/substrate, temperature, pH and cell amount have important influence on the reaction. Under the optimal condition (glucose at 1.5 times substrate concentration, isopropanol at 2%, PBS (0.1 M, pH 8.0), and 45℃), the cells co-expressing both enzymes efficiently catalyzed the asymmetric reduction of three fatty ketones to the corresponding (S)-fatty alcohols. The conversion and ee value of the products were both greater than 99% after 8 h reaction at 1 M of substrate concentration, and the space-time yield was between 346 ~ 470 g/(L·d). All the products can be obtained on gram scale. The results indicated that this method has potential application value in the efficient and green synthesis of aliphatic chiral secondary alcohols.
Graphical Abstract
{"title":"Highly Efficient Asymmetric Synthesis of Aliphatic Chiral Secondary Alcohols by Whole Cells of E. coli Co-Expressing Alcohol Dehydrogenase and Glucose Dehydrogenase","authors":"Songshuang Cao, Xiaomei Wu, Baodi Ma, Yi Xu","doi":"10.1007/s10562-025-04970-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10562-025-04970-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Aliphatic chiral secondary alcohols are important chiral intermediates widely used in the synthesis of drugs and fine chemicals. The whole cells of recombinant <i>E. coli</i> co-expressing alcohol dehydrogenase and glucose dehydrogenase were used to catalyze the asymmetric reduction of three fatty ketones without the addition of exogenous cofactors. The reaction medium and reaction conditions were systematically studied. As expected, the kinds of co-solvents, the molar ratio of glucose/substrate, temperature, pH and cell amount have important influence on the reaction. Under the optimal condition (glucose at 1.5 times substrate concentration, isopropanol at 2%, PBS (0.1 M, pH 8.0), and 45℃), the cells co-expressing both enzymes efficiently catalyzed the asymmetric reduction of three fatty ketones to the corresponding (<i>S</i>)-fatty alcohols. The conversion and ee value of the products were both greater than 99% after 8 h reaction at 1 M of substrate concentration, and the space-time yield was between 346 ~ 470 g/(L·d). All the products can be obtained on gram scale. The results indicated that this method has potential application value in the efficient and green synthesis of aliphatic chiral secondary alcohols.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":508,"journal":{"name":"Catalysis Letters","volume":"155 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143513243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-28DOI: 10.1007/s10562-025-04964-3
Sheikh Muhammad Farhan, Longwei Cheng, Pan Wang, JianJun Yin, Zhijian Chen
A sustainable and cost-effective alternative for environmental applications is the use of PGM-free catalysts, which are crucial for pollutant removal. This research employed the sol-gel method to synthesize stable and effective mesoporous CeCuOx mixed oxide catalysts to facilitate the oxidation of CO and C3H6 emissions at lower temperatures. Additionally, pure CeO2 and CuO were also synthesized for comparative analysis. Catalytic performance was considerably increased by doping CeO2 with Cu, whereas pure CuO and CeO2 showed modest activity. XRD, SEM, BET, XPS, Raman spectroscopy, H2-TPR, and CO-TPD showed that increasing Ce content produced a consistent pore structure without aggregation. In contrast, higher Cu concentration resulted in bulk CuO production, which led to decreased catalytic performance. In particular, the production of isolated CuOx species partly covered or clogged pores when the Cu level was above 20 wt%, which reduced the total number of effective sites for O2 activation. Compared to other mixed and pure oxides, the ideal catalyst, Ce7Cu3Ox (T90, CO = 178 °C), showed smaller particle size, higher specific surface area, and a larger lattice oxygen species and oxygen vacancies concentration. Additionally, it showed the best CO and C3H6 conversion due to its high Ce3+ concentration and interfacial active Cu species ratio. H2-TPR and CO-TPD analyses demonstrated that Ce-Cu mixed oxides with optimal Ce/Cu ratios, particularly Ce7Cu3Ox and Ce5Cu5Ox, achieve enhanced reducibility and balanced CO adsorption, which are critical for maximizing catalytic reactivity. The catalytic activity exhibited the following sequence: Ce7Cu3Ox > Ce5Cu5Ox > Ce9Cu1Ox > Ce3Cu7Ox > Ce1Cu9Ox > CuO > CeO2. This investigation offers a valuable perspective on the mechanisms of Ce-Cu interaction, which contributes to developing high-performance CeCuOx catalysts that are free of PGMs and operate under realistic reaction conditions.
Graphical abstract
{"title":"Unlocking Optimal Performance of PGM-Free CeCuOx Mixed Oxide Catalysts for CO and C3H6 Emission Conversion","authors":"Sheikh Muhammad Farhan, Longwei Cheng, Pan Wang, JianJun Yin, Zhijian Chen","doi":"10.1007/s10562-025-04964-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10562-025-04964-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A sustainable and cost-effective alternative for environmental applications is the use of PGM-free catalysts, which are crucial for pollutant removal. This research employed the sol-gel method to synthesize stable and effective mesoporous CeCuO<sub>x</sub> mixed oxide catalysts to facilitate the oxidation of CO and C<sub>3</sub>H<sub>6</sub> emissions at lower temperatures. Additionally, pure CeO<sub>2</sub> and CuO were also synthesized for comparative analysis. Catalytic performance was considerably increased by doping CeO<sub>2</sub> with Cu, whereas pure CuO and CeO<sub>2</sub> showed modest activity. XRD, SEM, BET, XPS, Raman spectroscopy, H<sub>2</sub>-TPR, and CO-TPD showed that increasing Ce content produced a consistent pore structure without aggregation. In contrast, higher Cu concentration resulted in bulk CuO production, which led to decreased catalytic performance. In particular, the production of isolated CuO<sub>x</sub> species partly covered or clogged pores when the Cu level was above 20 wt%, which reduced the total number of effective sites for O<sub>2</sub> activation. Compared to other mixed and pure oxides, the ideal catalyst, Ce<sub>7</sub>Cu<sub>3</sub>Ox (T<sub>90, CO</sub> = 178 °C), showed smaller particle size, higher specific surface area, and a larger lattice oxygen species and oxygen vacancies concentration. Additionally, it showed the best CO and C<sub>3</sub>H<sub>6</sub> conversion due to its high Ce<sup>3+</sup> concentration and interfacial active Cu species ratio. H<sub>2</sub>-TPR and CO-TPD analyses demonstrated that Ce-Cu mixed oxides with optimal Ce/Cu ratios, particularly Ce<sub>7</sub>Cu<sub>3</sub>O<sub>x</sub> and Ce<sub>5</sub>Cu<sub>5</sub>O<sub>x</sub>, achieve enhanced reducibility and balanced CO adsorption, which are critical for maximizing catalytic reactivity. The catalytic activity exhibited the following sequence: Ce<sub>7</sub>Cu<sub>3</sub>O<sub>x</sub> > Ce<sub>5</sub>Cu<sub>5</sub>O<sub>x</sub> > Ce<sub>9</sub>Cu<sub>1</sub>O<sub>x</sub> > Ce<sub>3</sub>Cu<sub>7</sub>O<sub>x</sub> > Ce<sub>1</sub>Cu<sub>9</sub>O<sub>x</sub> > CuO > CeO<sub>2</sub>. This investigation offers a valuable perspective on the mechanisms of Ce-Cu interaction, which contributes to developing high-performance CeCuOx catalysts that are free of PGMs and operate under realistic reaction conditions.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":508,"journal":{"name":"Catalysis Letters","volume":"155 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143513257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-26DOI: 10.1007/s10562-025-04967-0
Xianfeng Zhao, Kangpeng Li, Xinxin Shao, Danyang Chen, Xinpeng Ji, Minghong Sun, Huidan Lu, Yongping Liu
In this study, a three-dimensional WO3/BiVO4 heterojunction was synthesized via layer-by-layer spin-coating and blow-drying, followed by heat treatment in a hydrogen-argon atmosphere to produce the WO3/H-BiVO4 photoanode. The introduction of oxygen vacancies improved electron-hole separation efficiency, thereby enabling efficient water-splitting. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed that WO3/H-BiVO4 exhibited a lower reflectance infrared (RIR) value, signifying a higher concentration of surface oxygen vacancies compared to WO3/BiVO4. Photoelectrochemical measurements at 1.23 V vs. RHE demonstrated that WO3/BiVO4 achieved photocurrent densities and carrier densities 5-fold and 1.3-fold greater, respectively, than WO3. Notably, WO3/H-BiVO4 exhibited further enhancements, with photocurrent densities and carrier densities 1.4-fold and 2.4-fold higher, respectively, than WO3/BiVO4. These findings underscore the critical role of heterojunction construction in boosting photocatalytic activity, while oxygen vacancy introduction further elevates photoelectric performance. Specifically, WO3/H-BiVO4 achieved a peak photocurrent density of 6.5 mA·cm− 2 at 1.6 V vs. RHE, attributed to its superior photogenerated charge separation and surface charge transfer efficiency. This study highlights that rationally expanding interfacial contact and optimizing oxygen vacancy concentrations are effective strategies for enhancing photocatalytic performance. These insights provide a valuable framework for the design and development of highly efficient photocatalysts for water-splitting applications.
Graphical Abstract
{"title":"Oxygen Vacancies Enhanced WO3/H-BiVO4 Photoanode with Conformal BiVO4-Layer for Promoting Photoelectrochemical Activity","authors":"Xianfeng Zhao, Kangpeng Li, Xinxin Shao, Danyang Chen, Xinpeng Ji, Minghong Sun, Huidan Lu, Yongping Liu","doi":"10.1007/s10562-025-04967-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10562-025-04967-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this study, a three-dimensional WO<sub>3</sub>/BiVO<sub>4</sub> heterojunction was synthesized via layer-by-layer spin-coating and blow-drying, followed by heat treatment in a hydrogen-argon atmosphere to produce the WO<sub>3</sub>/H-BiVO<sub>4</sub> photoanode. The introduction of oxygen vacancies improved electron-hole separation efficiency, thereby enabling efficient water-splitting. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed that WO<sub>3</sub>/H-BiVO<sub>4</sub> exhibited a lower reflectance infrared (RIR) value, signifying a higher concentration of surface oxygen vacancies compared to WO<sub>3</sub>/BiVO<sub>4</sub>. Photoelectrochemical measurements at 1.23 V vs. RHE demonstrated that WO<sub>3</sub>/BiVO<sub>4</sub> achieved photocurrent densities and carrier densities 5-fold and 1.3-fold greater, respectively, than WO<sub>3</sub>. Notably, WO<sub>3</sub>/H-BiVO<sub>4</sub> exhibited further enhancements, with photocurrent densities and carrier densities 1.4-fold and 2.4-fold higher, respectively, than WO<sub>3</sub>/BiVO<sub>4</sub>. These findings underscore the critical role of heterojunction construction in boosting photocatalytic activity, while oxygen vacancy introduction further elevates photoelectric performance. Specifically, WO<sub>3</sub>/H-BiVO<sub>4</sub> achieved a peak photocurrent density of 6.5 mA·cm<sup>− 2</sup> at 1.6 V vs. RHE, attributed to its superior photogenerated charge separation and surface charge transfer efficiency. This study highlights that rationally expanding interfacial contact and optimizing oxygen vacancy concentrations are effective strategies for enhancing photocatalytic performance. These insights provide a valuable framework for the design and development of highly efficient photocatalysts for water-splitting applications.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":508,"journal":{"name":"Catalysis Letters","volume":"155 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143489527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ethanol is regarded as a promising and green hydrogen donor due to its easy and large-scale production from abundant biomass resources. In this work, a nitrogen-doped carbon-encapsulated Co catalyst (Co@NC-800) was synthesized by a simple pyrolysis process and demonstrated promising activity in the hydrodeoxygenation of sulfoxides and pyridine N-oxides, producing sulfide and pyridine with good yields ranging from 80.3 to 99.0%. Moreover, the activity of the Co@NC-800 catalyst remained stable after 5 runs, indicating good stability.
Graphical Abstract
{"title":"Highly Effective Hydrodeoxygenation of Sulfoxides and Pyridinic-N-Oxides Using Biomass-Derived Ethanol as the Hydrogen Donor","authors":"Zhe Zheng, Nian Xiang, Yinkun Li, Siwei Xu, Guoqiang She, Peng Zhou, Bing Liu","doi":"10.1007/s10562-025-04971-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10562-025-04971-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Ethanol is regarded as a promising and green hydrogen donor due to its easy and large-scale production from abundant biomass resources. In this work, a nitrogen-doped carbon-encapsulated Co catalyst (Co@NC-800) was synthesized by a simple pyrolysis process and demonstrated promising activity in the hydrodeoxygenation of sulfoxides and pyridine N-oxides, producing sulfide and pyridine with good yields ranging from 80.3 to 99.0%. Moreover, the activity of the Co@NC-800 catalyst remained stable after 5 runs, indicating good stability.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":508,"journal":{"name":"Catalysis Letters","volume":"155 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143489532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-26DOI: 10.1007/s10562-025-04957-2
Akshaya Pisal Deshmukh, Reshma Bhosale, Tejashree Bhave
In this work we have synthesized few layered MoS2 nanosheets and to boost the electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) over as an electrocatalyst, in situ Ag nanoparticles are loaded uniformly on the sheets by using simple and one pot method of hydrothermal synthesis. The overpotential drop recorded in Ag/MoS2 is almost double as compared to pristine MoS2 which indicates that decoration of Ag has lowered the barrier energy of the HER reaction and increased the efficiency of catalyst. In turn, layered structure of MoS2 provided the matrix for uniform loading of Ag nanoparticles. More importantly, lower Tafel value (74 mV/dec), lower charge transfer resistance and increased electric double layer capacitance in 10 wt% Ag/MoS2 clearly implies the enhanced HER performance as well as robust stability owing to improved interface between Ag and MoS2 along with increased exposed active sites. Therefore, this work explicitly focuses on the study of in situ loading of Ag over MoS2 which provided more accessibility to the active sites to elevate the HER activity.
Graphical Abstract
{"title":"Boosting the Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Activity by In Situ Decoration of Ag Nanoparticles over Few Layered MoS2 Nanosheets","authors":"Akshaya Pisal Deshmukh, Reshma Bhosale, Tejashree Bhave","doi":"10.1007/s10562-025-04957-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10562-025-04957-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this work we have synthesized few layered MoS<sub>2</sub> nanosheets and to boost the electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) over as an electrocatalyst, in situ Ag nanoparticles are loaded uniformly on the sheets by using simple and one pot method of hydrothermal synthesis. The overpotential drop recorded in Ag/MoS<sub>2</sub> is almost double as compared to pristine MoS<sub>2</sub> which indicates that decoration of Ag has lowered the barrier energy of the HER reaction and increased the efficiency of catalyst. In turn, layered structure of MoS<sub>2</sub> provided the matrix for uniform loading of Ag nanoparticles. More importantly, lower Tafel value (74 mV/dec), lower charge transfer resistance and increased electric double layer capacitance in 10 wt% Ag/MoS<sub>2</sub> clearly implies the enhanced HER performance as well as robust stability owing to improved interface between Ag and MoS<sub>2</sub> along with increased exposed active sites. Therefore, this work explicitly focuses on the study of in situ loading of Ag over MoS<sub>2</sub> which provided more accessibility to the active sites to elevate the HER activity.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":508,"journal":{"name":"Catalysis Letters","volume":"155 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143489531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The selective epoxy product of limonene, specifically 1, 2-limonene epoxide, serves as a crucial intermediate with diverse applications. However, achieving high conversion rates and selectivity in selective epoxidation reactions presents significant challenges. In this study, the bimetallic metal-organic framework (MOF) material was synthesized via a hydrothermal method, which was designated as Zr2Co8-MOF-BTC-H. The incorporation of zirconium (Zr) markedly alters both the morphology and structure of the bimetallic Zr2Co8-MOF-BTC-H catalytic material. Notably, there were pronounced changes in the binding energies of the bimetallic elements within the Zr2Co8-MOF-BTC-H framework, which suggests that cobalt (Co) and Zr coexist within the coordination structure and exhibit substantial interactions. Compared to single-metal MOF materials, the acidity of the bimetallic Zr2Co8-MOF-BTC-H was significantly enhanced, thereby facilitating the selective epoxidation of limonene. Under optimal reaction conditions, epoxidation conversion achieved 91.8%, while selectivity for epoxy compounds reached 88.6%. Furthermore, after five cycles of use, there was no significant decline in activity for the Zr2Co8-MOF-BTC-H material, indicative of its remarkable recyclable stability.
{"title":"Constructing Bimetallic ZrCo-MOF Acidic Materials for the Selective Epoxidation of Limonene","authors":"Haifu Zhang, Shaohong Zhang, Ying Zhang, Xiumei Chen, Hongjun Zhan, Dongming Cai","doi":"10.1007/s10562-025-04972-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10562-025-04972-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The selective epoxy product of limonene, specifically 1, 2-limonene epoxide, serves as a crucial intermediate with diverse applications. However, achieving high conversion rates and selectivity in selective epoxidation reactions presents significant challenges. In this study, the bimetallic metal-organic framework (MOF) material was synthesized via a hydrothermal method, which was designated as Zr<sub>2</sub>Co<sub>8</sub>-MOF-BTC-H. The incorporation of zirconium (Zr) markedly alters both the morphology and structure of the bimetallic Zr<sub>2</sub>Co<sub>8</sub>-MOF-BTC-H catalytic material. Notably, there were pronounced changes in the binding energies of the bimetallic elements within the Zr<sub>2</sub>Co<sub>8</sub>-MOF-BTC-H framework, which suggests that cobalt (Co) and Zr coexist within the coordination structure and exhibit substantial interactions. Compared to single-metal MOF materials, the acidity of the bimetallic Zr<sub>2</sub>Co<sub>8</sub>-MOF-BTC-H was significantly enhanced, thereby facilitating the selective epoxidation of limonene. Under optimal reaction conditions, epoxidation conversion achieved 91.8%, while selectivity for epoxy compounds reached 88.6%. Furthermore, after five cycles of use, there was no significant decline in activity for the Zr<sub>2</sub>Co<sub>8</sub>-MOF-BTC-H material, indicative of its remarkable recyclable stability.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":508,"journal":{"name":"Catalysis Letters","volume":"155 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143489533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-26DOI: 10.1007/s10562-025-04966-1
Abdulaziz Bentalib, Dalia A. Ali, Maher M. Alrashed, Ahmed A. Ibrahim, Alaaddin M. M. Saeed, Anis H. Fakeeha, Ahmed E. Abasaeed, Rawesh Kumar, Ahmed S. Al-Fatesh
This research paper examines the performance of strontium (Sr) promoted nickel (Ni) catalysts supported on magnesium oxide (MgO) in the dry reforming of methane (DRM) into syngas. The characterization of these catalysts is carried out using a range of analytical techniques, including measurements of surface area and porosity, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), temperature-programmed oxidation (TPO) and desorption (TPD) studies. The concentration of active sites, as well as the presence of acid and basic sites on the catalyst surface, are the primary factors influencing the catalytic activity of the 5Ni + xSr-MgO catalysts (where x = 1, 2, 3, and 4 wt%). Ni, supported over MgO, has few active sites and lacks a strong basic site, which results in minimum catalytic activity. Adding 1–4 wt% Sr over 5Ni-MgO induces the formation of higher concentrations of active sites and an increased population of strong basic sites. At 3 wt% Sr loading, concentration of active sits, strong basic sites, and strong acid sites are optimum which can activate CH4 and CO2 timely for DRM rather than coke deposition. So, 5Ni + 3Sr-MgO achieved 58.4% CH4 conversion (with H2/CO ratio 1.1) at 700 °C and ~ 82% CH4 conversion at 750 °C. This study offers insights for turning a cheap catalyst system (5Ni-MgO) into a high-performance catalyst by optimum loading of Sr promotor.
Graphical abstract
{"title":"Tailoring Ni + Sr-MgO Catalysts for Efficient Dry Reforming of Methane: A Performance Study","authors":"Abdulaziz Bentalib, Dalia A. Ali, Maher M. Alrashed, Ahmed A. Ibrahim, Alaaddin M. M. Saeed, Anis H. Fakeeha, Ahmed E. Abasaeed, Rawesh Kumar, Ahmed S. Al-Fatesh","doi":"10.1007/s10562-025-04966-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10562-025-04966-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This research paper examines the performance of strontium (Sr) promoted nickel (Ni) catalysts supported on magnesium oxide (MgO) in the dry reforming of methane (DRM) into syngas. The characterization of these catalysts is carried out using a range of analytical techniques, including measurements of surface area and porosity, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction (H<sub>2</sub>-TPR), temperature-programmed oxidation (TPO) and desorption (TPD) studies. The concentration of active sites, as well as the presence of acid and basic sites on the catalyst surface, are the primary factors influencing the catalytic activity of the 5Ni + xSr-MgO catalysts (where x = 1, 2, 3, and 4 wt%). Ni, supported over MgO, has few active sites and lacks a strong basic site, which results in minimum catalytic activity. Adding 1–4 wt% Sr over 5Ni-MgO induces the formation of higher concentrations of active sites and an increased population of strong basic sites. At 3 wt% Sr loading, concentration of active sits, strong basic sites, and strong acid sites are optimum which can activate CH<sub>4</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub> timely for DRM rather than coke deposition. So, 5Ni + 3Sr-MgO achieved 58.4% CH<sub>4</sub> conversion (with H<sub>2</sub>/CO ratio 1.1) at 700 <sup>°</sup>C and ~ 82% CH<sub>4</sub> conversion at 750 <sup>°</sup>C. This study offers insights for turning a cheap catalyst system (5Ni-MgO) into a high-performance catalyst by optimum loading of Sr promotor.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":508,"journal":{"name":"Catalysis Letters","volume":"155 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143489528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-26DOI: 10.1007/s10562-025-04965-2
Qian Zhang, Yuanzheng Li, Zhengyi Pan, Guang-Hui Wang
Catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes to α,β-unsaturated alcohols over metal oxide catalysts is of potential for industrial application. Herein, we have developed a Ni/f-Al2O3 catalyst comprising atomically dispersed Niδ+ (2 < δ < 3) species on porous leaf-like Al2O3, over which a > 97% yield of furfuryl alcohol (FOL) from CTH of furfural (FFR) is obtained with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 216 h− 1. Most importantly, the catalyst can be recycled at least 6 times without obvious loss of activity. Its superior catalytic performance can be attributed to the abundant and stable Niδ+-type acid-base pairs on the surface of Ni/f-Al2O3.
{"title":"Construction of Atomically Dispersed Niδ+ Species on Leaf-like Al2O3 for Selective Transfer Hydrogenation of Furfural","authors":"Qian Zhang, Yuanzheng Li, Zhengyi Pan, Guang-Hui Wang","doi":"10.1007/s10562-025-04965-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10562-025-04965-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) of <i>α</i>,<i>β</i>-unsaturated aldehydes to <i>α</i>,<i>β</i>-unsaturated alcohols over metal oxide catalysts is of potential for industrial application. Herein, we have developed a Ni/f<i>-</i>Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> catalyst comprising atomically dispersed Ni<sup><i>δ</i>+</sup> (2 < <i>δ</i> < 3) species on porous leaf-like Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, over which a > 97% yield of furfuryl alcohol (FOL) from CTH of furfural (FFR) is obtained with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 216 h<sup>− 1</sup>. Most importantly, the catalyst can be recycled at least 6 times without obvious loss of activity. Its superior catalytic performance can be attributed to the abundant and stable Ni<sup><i>δ</i>+</sup>-type acid-base pairs on the surface of Ni/f<i>-</i>Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":508,"journal":{"name":"Catalysis Letters","volume":"155 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143489529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-26DOI: 10.1007/s10562-025-04961-6
Anjali Patel, Anwar Multani
In this study, a heterogeneous catalyst was designed by comprising dodecatungstophosphoric acid and SBA-16 by wet impregnation method. It is characterized by different physiochemical techniques BET, EDX, TGA, FT-IR, 29Si NMR spectroscopy, and TEM. The chemicals shift of the Si–O–Si peaks in the 29Si NMR suggesting strong interaction between the active species and support. Its catalytic activity showed significant performance in the production of butyl levulinate, a promising fuel blend candidate via esterification of levulinic acid with n-butanol (93% conversion and 99% selectivity), following second order kinetic reaction with an activation energy 64 kJ/mol. Characterization of the recycled catalyst shows intact properties and reusability for up to three consecutive cycles. The present catalyst is superior to the previously reported ones with an outstanding turnover number (3571) and turnover frequency (595 h−1). The industrial applicability of the catalyst was demonstrated by the esterification of different bio-based acids with minimal environmental impact.
Graphical Abstract
{"title":"A Sustainable and Recyclable Heterogeneous Catalyst Comprising Dodecatungstophosphoric Acid and SBA-16: Synthesis, Characterizations and Study on the Synthesis of Levulinate","authors":"Anjali Patel, Anwar Multani","doi":"10.1007/s10562-025-04961-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10562-025-04961-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this study, a heterogeneous catalyst was designed by comprising dodecatungstophosphoric acid and SBA-16 by wet impregnation method. It is characterized by different physiochemical techniques BET, EDX, TGA, FT-IR, <sup>29</sup>Si NMR spectroscopy, and TEM. The chemicals shift of the Si–O–Si peaks in the <sup>29</sup>Si NMR suggesting strong interaction between the active species and support. Its catalytic activity showed significant performance in the production of butyl levulinate, a promising fuel blend candidate via esterification of levulinic acid with n-butanol (93% conversion and 99% selectivity), following second order kinetic reaction with an activation energy 64 kJ/mol. Characterization of the recycled catalyst shows intact properties and reusability for up to three consecutive cycles. The present catalyst is superior to the previously reported ones with an outstanding turnover number (3571) and turnover frequency (595 h<sup>−1</sup>). The industrial applicability of the catalyst was demonstrated by the esterification of different bio-based acids with minimal environmental impact.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":508,"journal":{"name":"Catalysis Letters","volume":"155 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143489530","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
CO esterification to dimethyl carbonate (DMC) routes holds significant economic and environmental value. Nevertheless, industrial routes suffer from drawbacks, such as raw material methyl nitrite (MN) was decomposed into by-products dimethoxymethane (DMM) and methyl formate (MF), which caused subsequent separation problem for the product/reactant mixture, which results in additional production cost. Previous studies have demonstrated that the acid site of NaY play an essential role in promoting the decomposition of MN. Herein, a series of Na2HPO4 -modified Pd/NaY catalysts were prepared to solve these problems. The results indicated that the introduction of Na2HPO4 increased the DMC selectivity (from 55% to 83%) and decreased the by-products selectivity [DMM (from 22% to 10%), MF (from 23% to 7%)] of Pd/PNaY-12 significantly. Based on the results of Py-IR, the amounts of Lewis acidic sites decreased, and NH3-TPD analysis shown that the amounts of weak acid sites (from 0.33 mmol/g to 0.14 mmol/g) and medium strong acid sites (from 0.46 mmol/g to 0.10 mmol/g) also reduced obviously. The outstanding performance should be attributed to the fact that the important intermediate *COOCH3 was more readily obtained after Na2HPO4 was incorporated. This work provides a convenient strategy for developing catalysts with high selectivity and low by-products.
Graphical Abstract
{"title":"Reducing the Surface Acidity of Pd/NaY Catalyst by Alkali Phosphates Modification to Improve the Selectivity of Dimethyl Carbonate","authors":"Bo-Wei Shi, Xiao-Yuan Tan, Ming-Sheng Wang, Jing Sun, Zhong-Ning Xu, Guo-Cong Guo","doi":"10.1007/s10562-025-04952-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10562-025-04952-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>CO esterification to dimethyl carbonate (DMC) routes holds significant economic and environmental value. Nevertheless, industrial routes suffer from drawbacks, such as raw material methyl nitrite (MN) was decomposed into by-products dimethoxymethane (DMM) and methyl formate (MF), which caused subsequent separation problem for the product/reactant mixture, which results in additional production cost. Previous studies have demonstrated that the acid site of NaY play an essential role in promoting the decomposition of MN. Herein, a series of Na<sub>2</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub> -modified Pd/NaY catalysts were prepared to solve these problems. The results indicated that the introduction of Na<sub>2</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub> increased the DMC selectivity (from 55% to 83%) and decreased the by-products selectivity [DMM (from 22% to 10%), MF (from 23% to 7%)] of Pd/PNaY-12 significantly. Based on the results of Py-IR, the amounts of Lewis acidic sites decreased, and NH<sub>3</sub>-TPD analysis shown that the amounts of weak acid sites (from 0.33 mmol/g to 0.14 mmol/g) and medium strong acid sites (from 0.46 mmol/g to 0.10 mmol/g) also reduced obviously. The outstanding performance should be attributed to the fact that the important intermediate *COOCH<sub>3</sub> was more readily obtained after Na<sub>2</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub> was incorporated. This work provides a convenient strategy for developing catalysts with high selectivity and low by-products.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":508,"journal":{"name":"Catalysis Letters","volume":"155 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143465988","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}