Solid surface frustrated Lewis pair constructed on layered AlOOH for hydrogenation reaction

Area of Science:

• Heterogeneous catalysis
• Surface chemistry
• Materials science

Background:

• Designing solid surface frustrated Lewis pair (ssFLP) catalysts for hydrogenation is an emerging challenge.
• No prior research has reported the construction of ssFLPs on boehmite (AlOOH) surfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize a novel ssFLP catalyst on AlOOH surfaces for hydrogenation.
• To investigate the catalytic activity and efficiency of the developed ssFLP for hydrogenation reactions.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of layered AlOOH.
• Characterization of Lewis basic O_Hv and Lewis acidic unsaturated Al³⁺_unsatur. sites on AlOOH surfaces.
• Evaluation of catalytic performance for hydrogenation of olefins and alkynes.

Main Results:

• Successfully constructed ssFLPs on AlOOH surfaces by utilizing Lewis basic O_Hv and Lewis acidic Al³⁺_unsatur. sites.
• Achieved a high concentration of ssFLPs due to the layered structure and abundant OH defects of AlOOH.
• Demonstrated highly efficient hydrogen activation for hydrogenation of olefins and alkynes with a low activation energy of 0.16 eV.
• Catalysis performed effectively under mild conditions (80°C and 2.0 MPa H₂).

Conclusions:

• Developed a new type of hydrogenation catalyst based on AlOOH-supported ssFLPs.
• Provided a novel strategy for creating ssFLP catalysts on solid surfaces.
• Highlighted the potential of AlOOH as a platform for designing advanced catalytic materials.