Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 22, 2026

Synthesis and Testing of Supported Pt-Cu Solid Solution Nanoparticle Catalysts for Propane Dehydrogenation
Published on: July 18, 2017
Looking inside the pores of a MCM-41 based Mo heterogeneous styrene oxidation catalyst: an inelastic neutron
Cristina I Fernandes1, Svemir Rudić, Pedro D Vaz
1CQB, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal. pmvaz@ciencias.ulisboa.pt cmnunes@ciencias.ulisboa.pt.
Abstract:
Styrene oxidation mediated by a Mo-based mesoporous catalyst can yield selectively styrene oxide or benzaldehyde. Kinetic data evidenced that styrene oxide is the initial single-product formed by the catalytic Mo-mediated process. However, after some hours of reaction benzaldehyde yield rises while that of the epoxide decreases concomitantly. The mechanistic proposal pointed to a surface assisted acid-base mechanism by which styrene oxide is interconverted into benzaldehyde through over-oxidation and cleavage of the C-C bond and releases formaldehyde as well. In an attempt to gain some insight into whether this mechanistic proposal is realistic we have conducted a combined DRIFT and inelastic neutron scattering (INS) study to assess the adsorbed species at the catalyst's surface and confirm the mechanistic proposal. INS and DRIFT provided complementary insight into surface-adsorbed species by probing donor (INS) and acceptor (DRIFT) species. INS also allowed for an estimation of product selectivity by means of a Job method stressing the power of the technique.
Related Concept Videos
Catalysis
Electrophilic Addition of HX to 1,3-Butadiene: Thermodynamic vs Kinetic Control
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.
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview
Ruthenium-based Grubbs catalyst is the most commonly used catalyst for olefin metathesis polymerization. Grubbs catalyst consists of a...
Oxidation of Alkenes: Syn Dihydroxylation with Osmium Tetraoxide
Heterogeneous Catalysis

