ChemInform Abstract: First Example of Water-Soluble Transition-Metal Catalysts for Oppenauer-Type Oxidation of Secondary Alcohols.

AbstractThis Account discusses several new reaction methods developed in our group that utilize sulfur-mediated reactions through sulfonium salts and ylides, highlighting the interplay of rational design and serendipity. Our initial goal was to convert aliphatic C–H bonds into C–C bonds site-selectively, and without the use of transition-metal catalysts. While a proof-of-concept has been achieved, this target is far from being ideally realized. The unexpected discovery of an anti-Markovnikov rearrangement and subsequent studies on difunctionalization of alkynes were much more straightforward, and eventually led to the new possibility of asymmetric N–H insertion of sulfonium ylides through Brønsted acid catalysis.1 Introduction2 Allylic/Propargylic C–H Functionalization3 Anti-Markovnikov Rearrangement4 Difunctionalization of Alkynes5 Asymmetric N–H Insertion of Sulfonium Ylides6 Conclusion

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Facet-Dependent Reactivity of Ceria Nanoparticles Exemplified by CeO2-Based Transition Metal Catalysts: A Critical Review

Catalysts ◽

10.3390/catal11040452 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 452

Author(s):

Michalis Konsolakis ◽

Maria Lykaki

Keyword(s):

Transition Metal ◽

Co Oxidation ◽

Critical Review ◽

Rational Design ◽

Metal Catalysts ◽

Co2 Hydrogenation ◽

Transition Metal Catalysts ◽

Fine Tuning ◽

Ceria Nanoparticles ◽

Highly Active

The rational design and fabrication of highly-active and cost-efficient catalytic materials constitutes the main research pillar in catalysis field. In this context, the fine-tuning of size and shape at the nanometer scale can exert an intense impact not only on the inherent reactivity of catalyst’s counterparts but also on their interfacial interactions; it can also opening up new horizons for the development of highly active and robust materials. The present critical review, focusing mainly on our recent advances on the topic, aims to highlight the pivotal role of shape engineering in catalysis, exemplified by noble metal-free, CeO2-based transition metal catalysts (TMs/CeO2). The underlying mechanism of facet-dependent reactivity is initially discussed. The main implications of ceria nanoparticles’ shape engineering (rods, cubes, and polyhedra) in catalysis are next discussed, on the ground of some of the most pertinent heterogeneous reactions, such as CO2 hydrogenation, CO oxidation, and N2O decomposition. It is clearly revealed that shape functionalization can remarkably affect the intrinsic features and in turn the reactivity of ceria nanoparticles. More importantly, by combining ceria nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) of specific architecture with various transition metals (e.g., Cu, Fe, Co, and Ni) remarkably active multifunctional composites can be obtained due mainly to the synergistic metalceria interactions. From the practical point of view, novel catalyst formulations with similar or even superior reactivity to that of noble metals can be obtained by co-adjusting the shape and composition of mixed oxides, such as Cu/ceria nanorods for CO oxidation and Ni/ceria nanorods for CO2 hydrogenation. The conclusions derived could provide the design principles of earth-abundant metal oxide catalysts for various real-life environmental and energy applications.

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