Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 26, 2026
Tuning the Acidity of Pt/ CNTs Catalysts for Hydrodeoxygenation of Diphenyl Ether
Published on: August 17, 2019
Solvent Polarity-Induced Pore Selectivity in H-ZSM-5 Catalysis
Alexey V Kubarev1, Eric Breynaert1, Jordi Van Loon1
1Center for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
Abstract:
Molecular-sized micropores of ZSM-5 zeolite catalysts provide spatial restrictions around catalytic sites that allow for shape-selective catalysis. However, the fact that ZSM-5 has two main pore systems with different geometries is relatively unexploited as a potential source of additional shape selectivity. Here, we use confocal laser-scanning microscopy to show that by changing the polarity of the solvent, the acid-catalyzed furfuryl alcohol oligomerization can be directed to selectively occur within either of two locations in the microporous network. This finding is confirmed for H-ZSM-5 particles with different Si/Al ratios and indicates a general trend for shape-selective catalytic reactions.
Related Concept Videos
03:00Solubility
A solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of a solvent, the major component, and a solute, the minor component. The physical state of a solution—solid, liquid, or gas—is typically the same as that of the solvent. Solute concentrations are often described with qualitative terms such as dilute (of relatively low concentration) and concentrated (of relatively high concentration).
In a solution, the solute particles (molecules,...
03:37Molecular Shape and Polarity
02:05Entropy and Solvation
02:17Regioselectivity 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...
02:50Catalysis
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...