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Semihydrogenation of Acetylene on Indium Oxide: Proposed Single‐Ensemble Catalysis
Author(s) -
Albani Davide,
CapdevilaCortada Marçal,
Vilé Gianvito,
Mitchell Sharon,
Martin Oliver,
López Núria,
PérezRamírez Javier
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201704999
Subject(s) - indium , catalysis , acetylene , oxide , chemistry , alkene , selectivity , oxygen , photochemistry , heterogeneous catalysis , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry
Abstract Indium oxide catalyzes acetylene hydrogenation with high selectivity to ethylene (>85 %); even with a large excess of the alkene. In situ characterization reveals the formation of oxygen vacancies under reaction conditions, while an in depth theoretical analysis links the surface reduction with the creation of well‐defined vacancies and surrounding In 3 O 5 ensembles, which are considered responsible for this outstanding catalytic function. This behavior, which differs from that of other common reducible oxides, originates from the presence of four crystallographically inequivalent oxygen sites in the indium oxide surface. These resulting ensembles are 1) stable against deactivation, 2) homogeneously and densely distributed, and 3) spatially isolated and confined against transport; thereby broadening the scope of oxides in hydrogenation catalysis.