Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026

Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
Reverse hydrogen spillover on and hydrogenation of supported metal clusters: insights from computational model
Georgi N Vayssilov1, Galina P Petrova, Elena A Ivanova Shor
1Faculty of Chemistry, University of Sofia, 1126 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Abstract:
"Reverse" spillover of hydrogen from hydroxyl groups of the support onto supported transition metal clusters, forming multiply hydrogenated metal species, is an essential aspect of various catalytic systems which comprise small, highly active transition metal particles on a support with a high surface area. We review and analyze the results of our computational model studies related to reverse hydrogen spillover, interpreting available structural and spectral data for the supported species and examining the relationship between metal-support and metal-hydrogen interactions. On the examples of small clusters of late transition metals, adsorbed in zeolite cavities, we showed with computational model studies that reverse spillover of hydrogen is energetically favorable for late transition metals, except for Au. This preference is crucial for the chemical reactivity of such bifunctional catalytic systems because both functions, of metal species and of acidic sites, are strongly modified, in some cases even suppressed - due to partial oxidation of the metal cluster and the conversion of protons from acidic hydroxyl groups to hydride ligands of the metal moiety. Modeling multiple hydrogen adsorption on metal clusters allowed us to quantify how (i) the support affects the adsorption capacity of the clusters and (ii) structure and oxidation state of the metal moiety changes upon adsorption. In all models of neutral systems we found that the metal atoms are partially positively charged, compensated by a negative charge of the adsorbed hydrogen ligands and of the support. In a case study we demonstrated with calculated thermodynamic parameters how to predict the average hydrogen coverage of the transition metal cluster at a given temperature and hydrogen pressure.
More Related Videos
10:52Multiscale Sampling of a Heterogeneous Water/Metal Catalyst Interface using Density Functional Theory and Force-Field Molecular Dynamics
Published on: April 12, 2019
10:22In Situ SIMS and IR Spectroscopy of Well-defined Surfaces Prepared by Soft Landing of Mass-selected Ions
Published on: June 16, 2014
Related Concept Videos
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the surface of...
Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
Heterogeneous Catalysis
Regioselectivity and Stereochemistry of Hydroboration
Hydroboration proceeds in a concerted fashion with the attack of borane on the π bond, giving a cyclic four-centered transition state. The –BH2 group is bonded to the less substituted carbon and –H to the more substituted carbon. The concerted nature requires the simultaneous addition of –H and –BH2 across the same face of the alkene giving syn stereochemistry.
Regioselectivity of Electrophilic Additions to Alkenes: Markovnikov's Rule
The hydrohalogenation of an unsymmetrical alkene can yield two haloalkane products, depending on which vinylic carbon takes up the halogen. However, one product usually predominates, where hydrogen adds to the vinylic carbon bearing the...