Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 28, 2025
Synthesis and Testing of Supported Pt-Cu Solid Solution Nanoparticle Catalysts for Propane Dehydrogenation
Published on: July 18, 2017
Mechanistic insights into higher alcohol synthesis from syngas on Rh/Cu single-atom alloy catalysts
Yihao Gao1, Lei Shi, Shenggang Li
1Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai 200444, China.
Abstract:
Low cost Cu-based catalysts are attractive options in catalyzing higher alcohol synthesis (HAS) from syngas. Introducing isolated Rh single atoms into the surfaces of these Cu catalysts has the potential to dramatically improve the performance of these Cu-based catalysts. In this work, extensive density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed with periodic slab models to systematically investigate the possibility of using Rh/Cu single-atom alloys (SAAs) as HAS catalysts. The mechanism of ethanol synthesis from syngas on the representative Rh/Cu(111) and Rh/Cu(100) surfaces was elucidated. All possible formation pathways of the C1 and C2 fragments leading to the ethanol main product, as well as the methane and methanol by-products were considered. Our calculations show that for ethanol formation, the C-C bond coupling is easier over the Rh/Cu SAA catalysts than pure Cu catalysts, suggesting that Rh/Cu SAA catalysts are more favorable for the formation of higher alcohols.
Related Concept Videos
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.
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...
02:50Catalysis
02:13Reduction 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...
02:15Preparation of Alcohols via Addition Reactions
The acid-catalyzed addition of water to the double bond of alkenes is a large-scale industrial method used to synthesize low-molecular-weight alcohols. An acidic atmosphere is required to allow the hydrogen in the water molecule to act as an electrophile and attack the double bond in an alkene. The addition of a proton to the double bond creates a carbocation intermediate. The proton preferentially bonds to the less substituted end of the double bond to create a more stable carbocation...
02:23Alcohols from Carbonyl Compounds: Reduction
Catalytic hydrogenation is similar to the reduction of an alkene or alkyne by adding H2 across the pi bond in the presence of transition metal catalysts like Raney Ni, Pd–C, Pt, or Ru. Aldehydes and ketones can be reduced by this method, often under mild to moderate heat (25–100°C) and...