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Physical Separation of H 2 Activation from Hydrogenation Chemistry Reveals the Specific Role of Secondary Metal Catalysts
Author(s) -
Kurimoto Aiko,
Jansonius Ryan P.,
Huang Aoxue,
Marelli Antonio M.,
Dvorak David J.,
Hunt Camden,
Berlinguette Curtis P.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.202017082
Subject(s) - palladium , catalysis , chemistry , hydrogen , membrane , metal , electrochemistry , inorganic chemistry , chemical engineering , photochemistry , organic chemistry , electrode , biochemistry , engineering
An electrocatalytic palladium membrane reactor (ePMR) uses electricity and water to drive hydrogenation without H 2 gas. The device contains a palladium membrane to physically separate the formation of reactive hydrogen atoms from hydrogenation of the unsaturated organic substrate. This separation provides an opportunity to independently measure the hydrogenation reaction at a surface without any competing H 2 activation or proton reduction chemistry. We took advantage of this feature to test how different metal catalysts coated on the palladium membrane affect the rates of hydrogenation of C=O and C=C bonds. Hydrogenation occurs at the secondary metal catalyst and not the underlying palladium membrane. These secondary catalysts also serve to accelerate the reaction and draw a higher flux of hydrogen through the membrane. These results reveal insights into hydrogenation chemistry that would be challenging using thermal or electrochemical hydrogenation experiments.