Main-Group Catalysts with Atomically Dispersed In Sites for Highly Efficient Oxidative Dehydrogenation

Transition metal oxides are well-known catalysts for oxidative dehydrogenation thanks to their excellent ability to activate alkanes. However, they suffer from an inferior alkene yield due to the trade-off between the conversion and selectivity induced by more reactive alkenes than alkanes, which obscures the optimization of catalysts. Herein, we attempt to overcome this challenge by activating a selective main-group indium oxide considered to be inactive for oxidative dehydrogenation in conventional wisdom. Atomically dispersed In sites with the local structure of [InOH]²⁺ anchored by substituting the protons of supercages in HY are enclosed to be active centers that enable the activation of ethane with a metal-normalized turnover number of almost one magnitude higher than those of their supported In₂O₃ counterparts. Furthermore, the structure of isolated [InOH]²⁺ sites could be stabilized by in situ formed H₂O from the selective oxidation of hydrogen by In₂O₃ nanoparticles. As a result, the as-designed main-group In catalysts exhibit 80% ethene selectivity at 80% ethane conversion, thus achieving 60% ethene yield due to active isolated [InOH]²⁺ sites and selective In₂O₃ nanoparticles, outperforming state-of-the-art transition metal oxide catalysts. This study unlocks new opportunities for the utilization of main-group elements and could pave the way toward a more rational design of catalysts for highly efficient selective oxidation catalysis.