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‘Surface Contrast’ NMR Reveals Non‐innocent Role of Support in Pd/CeO 2 Catalyzed Phenol Hydrogenation
Author(s) -
Egner Timothy K.,
Naik Pranjali,
An Yeongseo,
Venkatesh Amrit,
Rossini Aaron J.,
Slowing Igor I.,
Venditti Vincenzo
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
chemcatchem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.497
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1867-3899
pISSN - 1867-3880
DOI - 10.1002/cctc.202000608
Subject(s) - catalysis , phenol , adsorption , chemistry , nanoparticle , redox , molecule , inorganic chemistry , photochemistry , materials science , organic chemistry , nanotechnology
Ceria (CeO 2 )‐supported metals are widely used as catalysts because of their exceptional redox properties. Here, we use surface contrast NMR methods to investigate the hydrogenation of phenol by Pd supported on ceria nanoparticles. We show that the rigid and planar binding of phenol to Pd is mediated by a weak and highly mobile association of the small molecule to ceria. Interestingly, while addition of phosphate to the mixture does not perturb the adsorption of phenol on Pd, it destabilizes its interaction with ceria and proportionally decreases the rate of catalytic conversion. Our data provide strong experimental evidence that weak interactions between adsorbate and ceria are catalytically competent and explain the exceptional performance of Pd/CeO 2 for reductive conversions under mild reaction conditions.