Tingwei An , Zixuan Zhang , Xu Ren , Keliang Wang , Ziwei Li , Min Li
{"title":"Fe doping promotes water splitting activity of nickel-based catalysts in steam reforming of tar model compound","authors":"Tingwei An , Zixuan Zhang , Xu Ren , Keliang Wang , Ziwei Li , Min Li","doi":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120424","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120424","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Steam reforming of tar represents a cost-effective approach for tar removal in biomass gasification. Here, we developed a Ni-Fe/CeO<sub>2</sub>/CNT catalyst and unveil the effect of Fe for steam reforming of toluene (SRT) which is a representative tar model compound. The catalyst demonstrated exceptional stability (above 80 % toluene conversion, 3000 mmol/g<sub>cat</sub>/h H<sub>2</sub> yield) over 50 h. The outstanding performance is attributed to the effect of Fe in forming Ni-Fe alloy with the highest reducibility, dispersion, Ni<sup>0</sup> ratio, and increased sintering resistance, alongside enhanced electron transfer between Ni and Fe. Fe also promotes H<sub>2</sub>O adsorption, providing active oxygen for toluene conversion and carbon elimination. Finally, reaction mechanism was explored based on the <em>in-situ</em> DRIFTS and DFT calculations. DFT calculations revealed that Fe sites exhibit higher density of states, electrostatic potential, and <em>d</em>-band center than Ni sites, facilitating H<sub>2</sub>O coordination. Fe doping reduces energy barriers for H<sub>2</sub>O splitting and methyl dehydrogenation, while Ni promotes H<sub>2</sub> desorption. The synergistic Ni-Fe interaction enables distinct activation of toluene and H<sub>2</sub>O, respectively. Comparative studies showed Ni/CeO<sub>2</sub>/CNT suffers from carbon deposition, while Fe/CeO<sub>2</sub>/CNT exhibits limited activity due to poor reducibility and low Fe<sup>0</sup> content. These findings provide critical insights for designing stable Fe-based catalysts for efficient tar removal.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":243,"journal":{"name":"Applied Catalysis A: General","volume":"705 ","pages":"Article 120424"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144570424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Viviana Bressi , Maitê Thaís Barros Campos , Janejira Ratthiwal , Yrvana Pereira dos Santos Brito , Fabíola Fernandes Costa , Geraldo Narciso da Rocha Filho , Rafael Luque , Claudia Espro , Thomas Len , Luís Adriano Santos do Nascimento
{"title":"Converting kaolin waste into a high-performance catalyst for acetals synthesis","authors":"Viviana Bressi , Maitê Thaís Barros Campos , Janejira Ratthiwal , Yrvana Pereira dos Santos Brito , Fabíola Fernandes Costa , Geraldo Narciso da Rocha Filho , Rafael Luque , Claudia Espro , Thomas Len , Luís Adriano Santos do Nascimento","doi":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120421","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120421","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, kaolin waste was functionalized with sulfonic groups to enhance its textural and chemical properties, resulting in a high-performance heterogeneous catalyst. The functionalized material was thoroughly characterized using various techniques, including FTIR, XRD, TGA, BET (N<sub>2</sub>-physisorption), and TEM-EDX. The incorporation of sulfonic groups introduced active sites that significantly increased the ion exchange capacity, thereby enhancing the catalytic performance. When employed as a catalyst in the acetalization of benzaldehyde, the functionalized kaolin waste achieved a remarkable conversion rate of 98 % under optimized conditions. The successful transformation of kaolin waste into a highly effective catalyst demonstrates its potential for broader applications in green chemistry, particularly in sustainable synthesis. Acetals, the target products, are crucial intermediates in organic synthesis and the pharmaceutical industry. The catalytic process proposed in this study offers an efficient and environmentally friendly approach to acetal formation, advancing the field of heterogeneous catalysis. Additionally, extending the application of this functionalized material to other challenging reactions could further highlight its versatility and potential as a sustainable catalyst in various industrial processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":243,"journal":{"name":"Applied Catalysis A: General","volume":"705 ","pages":"Article 120421"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144633274","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Thiophene-based covalent organic frameworks for heterogeneous photocatalytic synthesis of unsymmetric disulfides","authors":"Chan-Long Zeng , Ya-Ru Gao , Shuai Chang , Yong-Qiang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120423","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120423","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), as a class of heterogeneous photocatalysts, exhibit environmentally friendly characteristics in the synthesis and functionalization of organic molecules. In this study, three thiophene-based donor-acceptor (D-A) type COFs have been synthesized, and their optoelectronic properties and photocatalytic performance have been studied. Using the three COFs, we have developed the first heterogeneous COFs photocatalyzed dehydrogenative cross-coupling of thiols to produce unsymmetrical disulfides. The approach has shown a broad substrate scope. Featured by employing COFs as a recyclable heterogeneous photocatalyst, visible light as a light source, air as a clean oxidant, and ethanol as a green solvent, this methodology offers promising access to valuable disulfides.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":243,"journal":{"name":"Applied Catalysis A: General","volume":"705 ","pages":"Article 120423"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144570423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Junming Cui , Rui Yu , Mingming Wei , Yu Dai , Chuan Shi , Weiping Zhang
{"title":"Boosting the low-temperature activity and SOx-tolerance of Al-rich Cu-CHA zeolite in NH3-SCR via a simple pretreatment strategy","authors":"Junming Cui , Rui Yu , Mingming Wei , Yu Dai , Chuan Shi , Weiping Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120422","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120422","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Selective catalytic reduction of NO<sub><em>x</em></sub> with NH<sub>3</sub> (NH<sub>3</sub>-SCR) requires catalysts combining superior low-temperature performance and high SO<sub><em>x</em></sub> tolerance in order to meet increasingly stringent regulations on heavy-duty diesel engine emissions. However, developing such catalysts is highly challenging. Herein, an Al-rich Cu-CHA zeolite was modified by a facile hydrogen pretreatment strategy, which resulted in boosted NO<sub><em>x</em></sub> conversions to <em>ca.</em> 78 and 90 % at 175 and 200 °C, respectively. Moreover, SO<sub><em>x</em></sub> (SO<sub>2</sub>/SO<sub>3</sub>=3/7) poisoning experiments revealed significantly higher SO<sub><em>x</em></sub> tolerance over the modified Cu-CHA catalyst versus the pristine catalyst. H<sub>2</sub>-TPR and kinetics analyses reveal that the pretreatment transformed aggregated Cu<sub><em>x</em></sub>O<sub><em>y</em></sub> species into isolated Cu<sup>2+</sup> ions, thereby creating numerous active sites and promoting low-temperature SCR reactivity. Furthermore, the presence of more isolated Cu<sup>2+</sup> ions and fewer 8MR-Z-[Cu(OH)]<sup>+</sup> species after the pretreatment considerably inhibits the deposition of copper sulfate species, thereby enhancing the SO<sub><em>x</em></sub> tolerance of the catalyst. <em>In-situ</em> DRIFTS demonstrates a higher number of key intermediate species (e.g., bridging/bidentate nitrates, NO<sup>+</sup>, and L-NH<sub>3</sub>) on the modified Cu-CHA catalyst, and it also shows a “fast SCR” reaction response. This results in an enhanced deNO<sub><em>x</em></sub> performance. Our study provides the feasibility of using a facile pretreatment strategy to develop effective SCR catalysts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":243,"journal":{"name":"Applied Catalysis A: General","volume":"705 ","pages":"Article 120422"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144535994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Michele Offidani , Alessandro Allegri , Anna Saotta , Francesca Liuzzi , Alice S. Cattaneo , Claudio Oldani , Andrea Brigliadori , Simona Ortelli , Giuseppe Fornasari , Stefania Albonetti , Nikolaos Dimitratos
{"title":"Tuning the properties and thermal treatment of Aquivion®/oxide hybrid catalysts for the one-pot production of γ-valerolactone from furfuryl alcohol","authors":"Michele Offidani , Alessandro Allegri , Anna Saotta , Francesca Liuzzi , Alice S. Cattaneo , Claudio Oldani , Andrea Brigliadori , Simona Ortelli , Giuseppe Fornasari , Stefania Albonetti , Nikolaos Dimitratos","doi":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120420","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120420","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>γ-Valerolactone (GVL) has transpired as a precursor to valuable chemicals, a fuel additive and an eco-friendly solvent. Herein, Aquivion®/oxide hybrid catalysts were prepared by an innovative spray freeze-drying method, tuning acid site distribution in the materials and exploring an approach to GVL synthesis from furfuryl alcohol (FAL) by employing non-noble metals. SiO<sub>2</sub>, TiO<sub>2</sub> and ZrO<sub>2</sub> were selected because of their increasing Lewis acidity, a key factor in promoting catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH). A thorough study on thermal stability through TGA, MAS NMR, porosimetry, SEM-EDX and experimental testing unveiled their resistance to thermal treatments and its influence on catalytic performances. In this study, it is shown how the optimal thermal treatment conditions for the composite materials vary depending on the acid properties of the supporting oxide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":243,"journal":{"name":"Applied Catalysis A: General","volume":"704 ","pages":"Article 120420"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517081","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jianqiang Zhao , Jiangli Gong , Jianliang Yuan , Zijian Liu , Chengxu Zhang , Jue Hu
{"title":"Iron-doped molybdenum carbide for improved reactants adsorption in oxygen evolution reaction","authors":"Jianqiang Zhao , Jiangli Gong , Jianliang Yuan , Zijian Liu , Chengxu Zhang , Jue Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120419","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120419","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Molybdenum carbide is an excellent HER (Hydrogen evolution reaction) electrocatalyst because of its <span>d</span>-band center and Fermi level, which are similar to the precious metal Pt. However, the main challenge faced by Mo materials in water splitting is the unsatisfactory oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity. Herein, iron-doped molybdenum carbide is designed and fabricated for the first time as an efficient OER catalyst due to improved reactant adsorption. The Fe-Mo<sub>2</sub>C@CN catalyst exhibits excellent OER activity, requiring an overpotential of 223 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm⁻<sup>2</sup>. Simultaneously, Fe-Mo<sub>2</sub>C@CN demonstrates a water electrolysis potential of 2.13 V at 1000 mA cm⁻<sup>2</sup> and maintains full hydrolytic stability under OER and industrial conditions: it operates for 240 h at 200 mA cm⁻<sup>2</sup> and 100 h at 1000 mA cm⁻<sup>2</sup> with minimal performance degradation. XPS results reveal that the introduction of Fe optimizes the electronic structure around Mo<sub>2</sub>C. Methanol probe experiments show that Fe incorporation enhances the adsorption of OH* on the catalyst surface, thereby improving OER catalytic performance. In-situ Raman experiments indicate that Fe may act as a new active site (FeOOH) to catalyze the reaction, further enhancing catalyst performance. Additionally, theoretical calculations and kinetic simulations demonstrate that Fe improves OH⁻ adsorption by the catalyst, increasing the concentration of OER reactants on Fe-Mo<sub>2</sub>C@CN and accelerating the OER process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":243,"journal":{"name":"Applied Catalysis A: General","volume":"704 ","pages":"Article 120419"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144517079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shidong Wang , Wei Luo , Yeqin Chen , Tingfang Liu , Yu Huang , Xueqin Zhu , Zhiwei Cai , Minjian Yang
{"title":"Ultrafast charge transfer channels induced by alkynyl bridge in novel covalent organic frameworks for boosting photocatalytic hydrogen evolution","authors":"Shidong Wang , Wei Luo , Yeqin Chen , Tingfang Liu , Yu Huang , Xueqin Zhu , Zhiwei Cai , Minjian Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120418","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120418","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of efficient photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution is pivotal for sustainable energy conversion. Herein, two novel covalent organic frameworks (COFs), COF-TFPPy and COF-TAEPy, were synthesized via Schiff-base condensation, distinguished by their C–C and C<img>C bridging units, respectively. Structural and photophysical characterizations revealed that the alkynyl-bridged COF-TAEPy exhibited enhanced π-conjugation, reduced bandgap, and superior charge transfer kinetics compared to COF-TFPPy. Under visible light, COF-TAEPy demonstrated a remarkable hydrogen evolution rate of 75.2 mmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹ , twofold higher than COF-TFPPy (37.5 mmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹). This performance stems from alkynyl-induced ultrafast charge separation, prolonged exciton lifetimes, and minimized recombination losses. Our findings highlight the critical role of alkynyl bridges in tailoring COFs for high-efficiency photocatalytic applications, providing a strategic blueprint for designing advanced energy conversion materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":243,"journal":{"name":"Applied Catalysis A: General","volume":"704 ","pages":"Article 120418"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144491188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cheng Huang , Yiwen Guo , Zhenghe Guo , Jiahan Jin , Baoping Lin
{"title":"MOF-derived carbon-supported cobalt oxide catalysts with strong electronic oxide-carbon interactions for selective catalytic oxidation of C-H bonds","authors":"Cheng Huang , Yiwen Guo , Zhenghe Guo , Jiahan Jin , Baoping Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120414","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120414","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon-supported metal oxide catalysts are highly important for heterogeneous catalysis. In addition to exciting charge transfer and regulating the electronic structure of the active metal component, the interfacial interaction between carbon and oxide can also affect the adsorption/desorption of reactants. Thus, the construction of electronic metal-support interactions for fine-tuning the performance and selectivity of the resulting heterogeneous catalysts has received widespread attention in recent years. Herein, a one-pot strategy is used to fabricate a novel porous carbon-metal oxide catalyst by pyrolyzing a Co-SiO<sub>2</sub>@Co-MOF-74 composite precursor and etching the SiO<sub>2</sub> template. Notably, tunable carbon channels with encapsulated cobalt clusters are formed in situ, and a defined strong electronic interaction between them is demonstrated. Owing to the strong interfacial interaction in this unique microreactor, cobalt oxide clusters can be anchored in a highly dispersed state to provide hierarchical carbon pores and promote charge transfer from the carbon channel to the metal sites. This process leads to enhanced reactant adsorption and activation, thereby promoting the catalytic activity of C-H bond oxidation in toluene. Under optimized conditions, Co-MSC-2 afforded 28 % conversion of toluene and 96 % selectivity for benzaldehyde, and the catalyst maintained remarkable stability. Our research proposes a new type of strong electronic oxide-carbon interaction for developing effective catalysts for C-H bond oxidation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":243,"journal":{"name":"Applied Catalysis A: General","volume":"704 ","pages":"Article 120414"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144502777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jorge Cornejo-Romero , Pablo S. Gonzalez-Servin , Adan G. Sarmiento-Lopez , Alfredo Solis-Garcia , Edson E. Gonzalez-Arredondo , Trino A. Zepeda , Armando Almendarez-Camarillo , Juan C. Fierro-Gonzalez
{"title":"γ-Al2O3-supported ruthenium carbonyls: Reactivity towards H2 and catalytic activity in CO2 methanation","authors":"Jorge Cornejo-Romero , Pablo S. Gonzalez-Servin , Adan G. Sarmiento-Lopez , Alfredo Solis-Garcia , Edson E. Gonzalez-Arredondo , Trino A. Zepeda , Armando Almendarez-Camarillo , Juan C. Fierro-Gonzalez","doi":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120416","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120416","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ru<sub>3</sub>(CO)<sub>12</sub> was used as a precursor to synthesize <em>γ</em>-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-supported Ru carbonyls via an impregnation method. The interaction between the precursor and the support was influenced by the degree of hydroxylation of the <em>γ</em>-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> surface, resulting in distinct Ru carbonyl species depending on the thermal treatment of the support. The reactivity of these supported Ru carbonyls toward H<sub>2</sub> at increasing temperatures was investigated using infrared spectroscopy coupled with mass spectra of the gaseous products. The results indicate that Ru<sub>3</sub>(CO)<sub>12</sub> adducts on Lewis acidic sites of <em>γ</em>-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> react with H<sub>2</sub> to form various Ru carbonyl species. Some of these species generate methane via a stoichiometric reaction with H<sub>2</sub>. Samples containing supported Ru(CO)<sub>3</sub> and Ru(CO)<sub>4</sub> species were found to be active for CO₂ methanation at 140 °C. However, under reaction conditions, these initial carbonyls rapidly transformed into supported Ru dicarbonyl species, which remained stable during steady-state catalysis. To assess the possible role of supported Ru dicarbonyl species in the reaction, step changes in the reactor feed composition were performed while monitoring the infrared spectra of the samples and the mass spectra of the effluent gases. The data indicate coexisting pathways for CO<sub>2</sub> methanation. The dominant route involves CO<sub>2</sub> activation on the support, in which formate species act as intermediates in methane formation. Although the involvement of Ru dicarbonyl species in the catalysis cannot be ruled out, their presence may primarily result from a stoichiometric reaction between supported Ru and the CO<sub>2</sub>/H<sub>2</sub> mixture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":243,"journal":{"name":"Applied Catalysis A: General","volume":"704 ","pages":"Article 120416"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144491186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fengqin Guo , Jiajun Zhang , Xiang Hui , Yan Cao , Peng He , Huiquan Li , Liguo Wang
{"title":"Modulating the selective adsorption of biobased diol carbon-oxygen bonds for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates","authors":"Fengqin Guo , Jiajun Zhang , Xiang Hui , Yan Cao , Peng He , Huiquan Li , Liguo Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120417","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120417","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The synthesis of cyclic carbonates via carbon-oxygen bond activation of vicinal-diols and linear carbonates via transesterification is significant, but the reaction mechanism remains unclear. Herein, we synthesized 1,2-butene carbonate (1,2-BC) from 1,2-butanediol (1,2-BDO) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) as a target reaction and investigated the relationship between different CeO<sub>2</sub> crystal effects and acid-base sites. CeO<sub>2</sub>-rod exhibits more oxygen vacancies (Ce<sup>3 +</sup>-O<sub>v</sub>), generating additional Ce<sup>3+</sup> and O<sup>2-</sup> as Lewis acid and base sites, respectively, enhancing the activation of C-O and O-H bonds. CeO<sub>2</sub>-R exhibited high activity, achieving a space-time yield of up to 500 g<sub>1,2-BC</sub>·h<sup>−1</sup>·g<sub>cat</sub><sup>−1</sup> during 200 h long-term operation. Difficulty in adsorption of the active conformation due to the presence of competing adsorption, in situ DRIFTS revealed that the bridging butoxy-O<sub>v</sub> of 1,2-BDO and the cis-cis monodentate adsorption conformation of DMC play a decisive role in the reaction. The presence of key intermediates that are difficult to capture was confirmed for the first time. Molecular dynamics simulations justify the proposed theory of dehydrocyclization of the intermediate hydroxy butylmethyl carbonate to 1,2-BC. The good generalizability of vicinal-diol substrate provides a reference and inspiration for synthesizing cyclic carbonates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":243,"journal":{"name":"Applied Catalysis A: General","volume":"704 ","pages":"Article 120417"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144502778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}