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Catalysis

Catalysis

The presence of a catalyst affects the rate of a chemical reaction. A catalyst is a substance that can increase the reaction rate without being consumed during the process. A basic comprehension of a catalysts’ role during chemical reactions can be understood from the concept of reaction mechanisms and energy diagrams.

Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation

Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation

Alkenes undergo reduction by the addition of molecular hydrogen to give alkanes. Because the process generally occurs in the presence of a transition-metal catalyst, the reaction is called 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...

Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation

Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation

Catalytic hydrogenation of alkenes is a transition-metal catalyzed reduction of the double bond using molecular hydrogen to give alkanes. The mode of hydrogen addition follows syn stereochemistry.
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...

Reduction of Benzene to Cyclohexane: Catalytic Hydrogenation

Reduction of Benzene to Cyclohexane: Catalytic Hydrogenation

Unlike the easy catalytic hydrogenation of an alkene double bond, hydrogenation of a benzene double bond under similar reaction conditions does not take place easily. For example, in the reduction of stilbene, the benzene ring remains unaffected while the alkene bond gets reduced. Hydrogenation of an alkene double bond is exothermic and a favorable process. In contrast, to hydrogenate the first unsaturated bond of benzene, an energy input is needed; that is, the process is endothermic. This is...

Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation

Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation

Introduction
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.

Regioselectivity and Stereochemistry of Acid-Catalyzed Hydration

Regioselectivity and Stereochemistry of Acid-Catalyzed Hydration

The rate of acid-catalyzed hydration of alkenes depends on the alkene's structure, as the presence of alkyl substituents at the double bond can significantly influence the rate.

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Related Experiment Video

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Tuning the Acidity of Pt/ CNTs Catalysts for Hydrodeoxygenation of Diphenyl Ether

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Ethane dehydrogenation over CaCO₃-mediated tandem catalysts.

Zewei Wu¹, Yi Liu¹, Sai Chen^2,3,4,5,6

¹Engineering Research Center of Photoenergy Utilization for Pollution Control and Carbon Reduction of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, P. R. China.

Nature Communications

|August 19, 2025

Summary

This study introduces a novel tandem catalytic system for efficient light olefin production from alkanes using CO2. The system overcomes equilibrium limitations, achieving high ethylene yields and selectivity via coupled dehydrogenation and reverse water gas shift reactions.

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Area of Science:

Chemical Engineering
Catalysis
Materials Science

Background:

CO2-assisted oxidative dehydrogenation is key for light olefin production.
Side reactions and slow CO2 reactivity hinder olefin yields.
Existing catalytic systems face limitations in efficiency and selectivity.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop an economically viable tandem catalytic system for light alkane dehydrogenation.
To enhance ethylene yield by overcoming thermodynamic equilibrium limitations.
To investigate the role of carbonates in facilitating CO2-involved reactions.

Main Methods:

Coupling alkane dehydrogenation (EDH) with the reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction.
Utilizing PtSn/SiO2 for EDH and nano-CaCO3 as a hydrogen acceptor for RWGS.
Employing experimental characterization and theoretical analysis.

Main Results:

Achieved 142% of nominal equilibrium ethylene yield with 96.7% selectivity.
The tandem system significantly outperformed commercial CrOx- and Pt-based catalysts.
Confirmed CaCO3's role in mediating hydrogen spillover to facilitate RWGS.

Conclusions:

The developed tandem catalytic strategy offers a breakthrough in light olefin production.
Carbonate-assisted hydrogen transfer mechanisms can be applied to CO2-involved reactions.
This approach expands catalytic system possibilities for efficient chemical transformations.