Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 24, 2026
Microscopic Visualization of Porous Nanographenes Synthesized through a Combination of Solution and On-Surface Chemistry
Published on: March 4, 2021
The O, OH and OOH-assisted selective coupling of methanol on Au-Ag(111)
Wenhui Zhong1, Jinxia Liang, Wei Hu
1Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Computational Nano-Material Science, Institute of Applied Physics, Guizhou Synergetic Innovation Center of Scientific Big Data for Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Guizhou Normal College, Gaoxin Road 115, Guiyang, Guizhou 550018, P. R. China.
Abstract:
Using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we performed a thorough theoretical investigation on the catalytic mechanism of oxidative self-coupling of methanol with molecular oxygen on Au-Ag catalysts. It is found that molecular oxygen can be activated via a hydroperoxyl (OOH) intermediate by taking a hydrogen atom from co-adsorbed methanol with an energy barrier of 0.51 eV, which is actually the rate determining step for the overall reaction. The O, OH and OOH oxidant formation proceeds via two channels of I and II with low barriers. We demonstrated that the oxidative coupling of methanol by OOH, atomic oxygen, and hydroxyl is much more favorable than the total oxidation of methanol, and is responsible for the high selectivity of Au-Ag catalysts in methanol oxidation. The revealed activation mechanism provides an efficient pathway for optimizing the selective coupling of methanol with dioxygen.
More Related Videos
10:31Detection and Recovery of Palladium, Gold and Cobalt Metals from the Urban Mine Using Novel Sensors/Adsorbents Designated with Nanoscale Wagon-wheel-shaped Pores
Published on: December 6, 2015
12:08Catalytic Reactions at Amine-Stabilized and Ligand-Free Platinum Nanoparticles Supported on Titania During Hydrogenation of Alkenes and Aldehydes
Published on: June 24, 2022
Related Concept Videos
01:27¹H NMR: Long-Range Coupling
In alkenes, spin information is communicated via σ–π overlap, as seen in allylic (four-bond) and homoallylic (five-bond) couplings. These coupling interactions are stronger when the σ bond is parallel to the alkene...
02:17Reduction 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...
02:24Reduction 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.
01:22Alkenes via Reductive Coupling of Aldehydes or Ketones: McMurry Reaction
01:20Spin–Spin Coupling: Two-Bond Coupling (Geminal Coupling)
The central atom need not be NMR-active because its electrons are affected by the electron polarization of the spin-active atoms. However, spin information is transmitted less effectively than in one-bond coupling, and 2J values are usually weaker than 1J values. The energy of...
01:20Amides to Amines: LiAlH4 Reduction
Amide reduction requires two equivalents of the reducing agent, acting as a source of hydride ions. As shown in the figure, the reaction is initiated with a nucleophilic attack by the hydride ion at the carbonyl carbon to form a tetrahedral intermediate.