Journal of CatalysisPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2025.116661
Yishuang Wang , Lei Liu , Mingqiang Chen , Defang Liang , Chang Li , Jun Wang , Haosheng Xin
{"title":"Efficient depolymerization of lignin over Ru-modified Co/attapulgite: Construct of abundant activated hydrogen source sites","authors":"Yishuang Wang , Lei Liu , Mingqiang Chen , Defang Liang , Chang Li , Jun Wang , Haosheng Xin","doi":"10.1016/j.jcat.2025.116661","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcat.2025.116661","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lignin valorization is crucial for obtaining sustainable fuels and chemicals, however its complex structure challenges efficient conversion. Herein, we designed a Ru-modified Co/attapulgite (CoRu<sub>x</sub>/ATP) catalysts for achieving the catalytic depolymerization of lignin (CDL) under ethanol coupled with H<sub>2</sub> medium to liquid fuel and guaiacols. CoRu<sub>1</sub>/ATP exhibited exceptional catalytic efficiency under optimal conditions, where the yields of liquid product and guaiacols reached 82.82% and 584.67 mg/g, respectively. Experiments with model compounds demonstrated that the addition of Ru could effectively reduce the activation energy of the β-O-4 bond cleavage, which decreased from 78.6 kJ·mol<sup>−1</sup> to 73.5 kJ·mol<sup>−1</sup>. Characterization results indicated that the Ru additive yielded Co–Ru interfaces and its hydrogen spillover effect promoted the reduction of Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> to CoO and metallic Co (Co<sup>0</sup>) to produce more oxygen vacancies (V<sub>O</sub>). Additionally, the research on reaction mechanisms revealed V<sub>O</sub> and CoO phases in CoRu<sub>1</sub>/ATP enhanced the breakage of C–O bonds of lignin and the adjacent metallic Co and Ru sites and Co–Ru interfaces improved the activation of ethanol and molecular hydrogen into active hydrogen (H*) species to stabilize reactive intermediates and enhance hydrogenation reaction. The findings provide a potential method for directional lignin conversion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":346,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Catalysis","volume":"455 ","pages":"Article 116661"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145908156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of CatalysisPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116705
Martin Hedevang , Lars Mohrhusen , Filip Hallböök , Dorotea Gajdek , Lindsay R. Merte , Sara Blomberg , Jeppe V. Lauritsen
{"title":"In-situ NAP-XPS reveals water-induced phase segregation of MoS2 nanoparticles in hydrodeoxygenation catalysis","authors":"Martin Hedevang , Lars Mohrhusen , Filip Hallböök , Dorotea Gajdek , Lindsay R. Merte , Sara Blomberg , Jeppe V. Lauritsen","doi":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116705","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116705","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is a catalytic process applied for the reduction of oxygen levels in hydrocarbons from bio-derived feedstock as part of the processing into renewable fuel. The MoS<sub>2</sub>-based hydrotreating catalysts, currently being applied for the HDO reaction, are exposed to a complex environment consisting of O-rich hydrocarbons and water, which adversely impacts the state and stability of the catalyst. Here, we analyze the structural and chemical state changes of MoS<sub>2</sub> in HDO-relevant conditions using a combination of surface-sensitive techniques applied to a planar model system consisting of supported and structurally well-defined single-layer MoS<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles supported on Au(111). As observed by scanning tunnelling microscopy and near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS), the exposure to mbar pressure of H<sub>2</sub>O at 600 K induces clear changes in both the shape and size of the MoS<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles, explained by a preferential oxidation and etching of MoS<sub>2</sub> edges. MoO<sub>x</sub> is observed on the surface due to the spatial separation of the oxide and etched sulfide phase. Interestingly, when H<sub>2</sub>/H<sub>2</sub>O gas mixtures are applied, the sulfur reduction and oxidation of MoS<sub>2</sub> appear to be decoupled, indicating that the removal of edge S species is not a prerequisite for oxidation. Furthermore, the formed MoO<sub>x</sub> showed a preferred reduction of the oxide over the sulfide. Importantly, the atom-resolved imaging reveals that the progressive etching and phase segregation of MoS<sub>2</sub> maintains access to pristine edge sites of the single-layer MoS<sub>2</sub>, explaining why HDO activity can be maintained even for highly oxidized catalysts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":346,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Catalysis","volume":"455 ","pages":"Article 116705"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146005830","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of CatalysisPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-20DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116708
Xiaoqian Bai , Jialong Lin , Bingxue Cheng , Chunqi Yang , Xinlin Wang , Yuhang Li , Tamao Ishida , Toru Murayama , Guangli Xiu , Mingyue Lin
{"title":"Fe-induced Co (IV) elimination enhancing selective ethylene glycol oxidation at high current density","authors":"Xiaoqian Bai , Jialong Lin , Bingxue Cheng , Chunqi Yang , Xinlin Wang , Yuhang Li , Tamao Ishida , Toru Murayama , Guangli Xiu , Mingyue Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116708","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116708","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ethylene glycol (EG), a primary byproduct from the alkaline hydrolysis of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), can serve as an alternative anode reaction to the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). This substitution significantly lowers the energy required for hydrogen production via water electrolysis. In this study, Fe(0.3 wt%)-CoPO was <em>in situ</em> synthesized on nickel foam (NF), showing great electrocatalytic activity. At just 1.426 V (<em>vs.</em> RHE), it achieves a current density of 100 mA cm<sup>−2</sup> and a Faraday efficiency (FE) of 100%. At the 100 mA cm<sup>−2</sup>, the potential of the ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR) was 224 mV lower than that of OER, thereby reducing the total working potential and consequently lowering the energy consumption for hydrogen production at the cathode. <em>In situ</em> Raman spectroscopy further reveals that the high activity of EGOR is due to the generation of CoOOH species during the electrochemical reconstruction. Additionally, Fe incorporation has the effect of inhibiting the overoxidation of Co<sup>3+</sup>. This study successfully couples EGOR electrocatalysis with the production of valuable chemicals and hydrogen, providing new insights into high-performance EGOR catalytic systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":346,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Catalysis","volume":"455 ","pages":"Article 116708"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014715","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of CatalysisPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116673
Jorge Ferreira Jr. , Gabriela Uez , Arthur L. Schmidt , Camila Ebersol , Bianca T. Dalberto , Daniel F. Pietezak , Robson S. Oliboni , Angélica V. Moro , Diogo S. Lüdtke , Adriana C.A. Casagrande , Fabiano S. Rodembusch , Pedro Migowski , Osvaldo L. Casagrande Jr.
{"title":"Iron(II) bis(pyrazolyl)phenanthroline complexes as robust and efficient homogeneous catalysts for CO2-to-CO conversion under visible light","authors":"Jorge Ferreira Jr. , Gabriela Uez , Arthur L. Schmidt , Camila Ebersol , Bianca T. Dalberto , Daniel F. Pietezak , Robson S. Oliboni , Angélica V. Moro , Diogo S. Lüdtke , Adriana C.A. Casagrande , Fabiano S. Rodembusch , Pedro Migowski , Osvaldo L. Casagrande Jr.","doi":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116673","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116673","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We report the design, synthesis, and comprehensive characterization of a new series of iron(II) complexes bearing bis(pyrazolyl)phenantroline ligands, developed as homogeneous catalysts for the visible-light-driven reduction of CO<sub>2</sub> to CO. All complexes adopt high-spin quintet ground states and exhibit distorted octahedral geometries, with redox processes primarily localized on the ligand framework. Spectroscopic data and theoretical modeling revealed that the optical absorption in the UV region arises from ligand-centered π–π* transitions, while the weaker red-shifted bands are attributed to forbidden transitions. Electrochemical analyses confirmed ligand-centered reductions across the series, modulated by the electronic nature of the pyrazolyl substituents. All iron complexes were active for photocatalytic reduction of CO<sub>2</sub> to CO. Among them, <strong>Fe2</strong> showed the highest overall activity, reaching a TON<sub>CO</sub> of 1318 and CO selectivity of 84 %. Notably, <strong>Fe4</strong> achieved a high TON<sub>CO</sub> of 1265 and CO selectivity of 91 % in the series. Systematic variation of reaction parameters using <strong>Fe2</strong> allowed the identification of optimal conditions for maximizing catalytic efficiency and product selectivity. At lower catalyst loadings, <strong>Fe2</strong> achieved the highest TON<sub>CO</sub> (up to 23,138) and CO selectivity (up to 91 %). Additionally, the presence of 7.5–10 % water proved essential for effective proton-coupled electron transfer and stabilization of intermediates. Mechanistic studies, including control and Hg poisoning experiments, confirmed the homogeneous nature and robustness of the catalytic system, with deactivation arising mainly from photosensitizer deterioration. <strong>Fe2</strong> reached a TON<sub>CO</sub> of 9754 after 4 h of irradiation (λ = 462 nm), corresponding to a TOF of 2438 h<sup>−1</sup> and a total quantum yield of 8.24 %.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":346,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Catalysis","volume":"455 ","pages":"Article 116673"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145908190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of CatalysisPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116699
Chenglong Liang , Shuwen Huan , Xiong Chen , Jimmy C. Yu , Meifang Zheng , Sibo Wang
{"title":"CO2-promoted photocatalytic oxidation of benzylic alcohols over CdS/boron-doped carbon nitride","authors":"Chenglong Liang , Shuwen Huan , Xiong Chen , Jimmy C. Yu , Meifang Zheng , Sibo Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116699","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116699","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Catalytic oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compounds represents a fundamental transformation in the chemical industry. Herein, we report a novel type-II heterojunction comprising CdS quantum dots (QDs) anchored on boron-doped carbon nitride (BCN) nanosheets is explored for the photocatalytic selective oxidation of benzylic alcohols under an ambient CO<sub>2</sub> atmosphere. The CdS QDs/BCN system manifests substantially enhanced performance, achieving 81% yield of benzaldehyde with 99% selectivity, much higher than either bare BCN or CdS QDs. In this catalytic system, CO<sub>2</sub> is adsorbed and activated at the surface basic sites of CdS QDs/BCN, forming the key carbonate intermediates with benzylic alcohols, which are then selectively oxidized by photoinduced holes, accompanied by the release of CO<sub>2</sub>. The protocol demonstrates acceptorless dehydrogenation using CO<sub>2</sub> as an electron shuttle, providing a green and efficient strategy for oxidant-free alcohol oxidation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":346,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Catalysis","volume":"455 ","pages":"Article 116699"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145956883","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of CatalysisPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116712
Chunling Zhang, Shuangshuang Yu, Shujie Shen, Huimin Dan, Wei Wu, Jieyuan Li, Fan Dong
{"title":"Deep hydrogenation of nitrite intermediate with H-radicals for promoted nitrate reduction to ammonia","authors":"Chunling Zhang, Shuangshuang Yu, Shujie Shen, Huimin Dan, Wei Wu, Jieyuan Li, Fan Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116712","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116712","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The treatment of nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>) pollutants is of critical importance for both human health and sustainable environmental development. The efficient conversion of low-concentration NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> is mainly challenged by the competing hydrogen evolution side reactions and the lack of efficient hydrogen sources for deep hydrogenation. Here, we report a redox-enhanced photocatalytic system by constructing spatially separated Cu<sub>x</sub>O nanoclusters (Cu<sub>x</sub>O NCs) and oxygen vacancies (OVs) as dual active sites on a TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotube support. Cu<sub>x</sub>O NCs, as electron enrichment centers, significantly enhance the adsorption and activation capabilities for NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>, thereby enabling NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> to be activated into the key intermediate nitrite (NO<sub>2</sub><sup>−</sup>). OVs, as efficient hole-trapping sites, accelerate the oxidation half-reaction, promoting the generation of highly reactive hydrogen radicals (<sup><img></sup>H). Most importantly, the directional addition of the <sup><img></sup>H to NO<sub>2</sub><sup>−</sup> facilitates its deep reduction <em>via</em> a <sup><img></sup>H-mediated pathway, leading to the highly selective generation of ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>). Almost 100 % of the NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> conversion ratio and a competitive NH<sub>3</sub> selectivity (98.3 ± 0.16 %) are achieved in this system. This study highlights the critical roles of NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> activation and <sup><img></sup>H in efficient NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> conversion, providing an innovative strategy for the resource utilization of NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>-contaminated wastewater.</div><div><strong>Environmental Implication:</strong> A redox-enhanced photocatalytic system is constructed to enable efficient activation of NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> to NO<sub>2</sub><sup>−</sup> and subsequently <sup><img></sup>H-mediated hydrogenation. As a result, nearly complete NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> removal ratio (∼100 %) with high selectivity toward NH<sub>3</sub> (98.3 ± 0.16 %) is achieved. This study provides insights and guidance for the efficient conversion and resource utilization of low-concentration NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>, significantly advancing the application of photocatalytic technology in environmental remediation and resource recovery. It also offers support for the establishment of a sustainable nitrogen cycle system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":346,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Catalysis","volume":"455 ","pages":"Article 116712"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146033938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of CatalysisPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116675
Xin Chen, Shuaihu Geng, Yunhao Zhou, Kun Zhao, Jiahong Li, Sheng-Yin Zhao, Weiping Liu
{"title":"Asymmetric hydrophosphination for P-stereogenic phosphines enabled by manganese catalysis","authors":"Xin Chen, Shuaihu Geng, Yunhao Zhou, Kun Zhao, Jiahong Li, Sheng-Yin Zhao, Weiping Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116675","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116675","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Manganese catalysis is emerging as a sustainable alternative to noble metals in homogeneous catalysis. Although manganese-catalyzed asymmetric hydrophosphination has been well established for <em>C</em>-stereogenic phosphines, the enantioselective synthesis of <em>P</em>-stereogenic phosphines remains challenging. Herein, we report a novel manganese-catalyzed asymmetric hydrophosphination of electron-deficient alkenes, enabling the synthesis of diverse <em>P</em>-stereogenic phosphines with good to excellent yields and enantioselectivities, demonstrating broad functional group tolerance. Mechanistic investigations using <sup>31</sup>P NMR analysis support a metal–ligand-cooperation pathway for H-P bond activation by manganese catalyst.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":346,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Catalysis","volume":"455 ","pages":"Article 116675"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145908153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of CatalysisPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-27DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2025.116646
Yicong Yan , Jin Yuan , Hongbo Zhang
{"title":"Constructing Co2@C3N4 dual-atomic site for highly efficient electrochemical H2O2 production","authors":"Yicong Yan , Jin Yuan , Hongbo Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcat.2025.116646","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcat.2025.116646","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Highly dispersed cobalt catalyst attracts great attention in two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e<sup>−</sup> ORR) toward hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) due to their superior reactivities, however, it generally suffers from low selectivity and limited understandings on the reaction mechanism. Here, Co<sub>2</sub>@C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> nanocomposite has been primarily established through the pyrolysis of dimeric cobalt complex, which mainly constitutes dual-atoms of Co and exhibited exceptional H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> production performance, achieving a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of ∼ 90% at −0.4 V vs. RHE and a production rate of 2.38 mol L<sup>−1</sup> g<sub>cat</sub><sup>−1</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>, surpassing most reported SACs in H-cell systems. This enhancement is attributed to the dual site structure of Co and defect-rich interfaces constructed, which promote the O-O bond stabilization and optimize the reactivity/selectivity of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> generation, which was found to be controlled by **OOH generation through an electron coupled proton transfer elementary steps over a proton covered surface.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":346,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Catalysis","volume":"455 ","pages":"Article 116646"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145845450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Localized electronic regulation on CuNi nanoalloys via subnanometric CeO2 for C=O activation in esters","authors":"Hao Liu, Wenhao Yang, Huibin Liu, Wenjun Zhu, Jingjie Luo, Changhai Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116707","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116707","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The swift development of polymer monomer leads to renewed interests in 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) production by selective hydrogenating the methyl 3-hydroxypropionate (3-HPM). Heterogeneous CuNi catalysts can perform the reaction, but they deactivate easily and produce dehydration byproducts. We recently focus on the CuNi alloy center for efficient activation of the C=O bond in esters, which can be dedicated via the Localized Electronic Modulation on CuNi center in terms of subnanometric ceria. A fundamental mechanism is proved to create low-coordinated CeO<sub>2</sub> (Ce-O coordination number of 4.1) and to stabilize the electron-deficient CuNi step sites by restrictive electron delivery. It results in the strengthened adsorption and activation of 3-HPM via the C=O bond, which obeys the Non-Dissociative Adsorption pathway. The Ce<sub>5</sub>-CuNi/SiO<sub>2</sub> catalyst exhibits broad applicability to hydrogenate a variety of esters. It reaches 97 % 1,3-PDO yield at an ultra-fast rate of 3.73 mol<sub>3-HPM</sub>/mol<sub>M</sub>/h with nice stability and facile regeneration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":346,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Catalysis","volume":"455 ","pages":"Article 116707"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146000605","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of CatalysisPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116669
Giuseppe Antinucci, Felicia Daniela Cannavacciuolo, Roberta Cipullo, Vincenzo Busico
{"title":"Ziegler-Natta catalysts for polypropylene: breaking the paradigm of epitaxy","authors":"Giuseppe Antinucci, Felicia Daniela Cannavacciuolo, Roberta Cipullo, Vincenzo Busico","doi":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116669","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcat.2026.116669","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ziegler-Natta (ZN) catalysts for stereoselective propene polymerization originated as relatively simple mixtures of crystalline TiCl<sub>3</sub> in a layered modification and an Al-alkyl activator. At a later stage, to enhance productivity with respect to Ti and decrease the amount of acidic Ti–Cl residues in the polymer, supported versions were introduced in which TiCl<sub>4</sub> is adsorbed on a nanocrystalline MgCl<sub>2</sub> matrix and subsequently alkylated and reduced by AlEt<sub>3</sub>. The addition of certain organic electron donors to the solid precatalyst (‘Internal Donor’, ID) and, in most cases, to AlEt<sub>3</sub> (‘External Donor’, ED) is mandatory to achieve a high stereoselectivity, but how donor modification works in detail is not well understood. For several decades now the models of catalytic species for Mg–Ti systems have been inspired by the structural similarity between the layer lattices of MgCl<sub>2</sub> and TiCl<sub>3</sub>, which led many to propose that the active site precursors are epitaxial TiCl<sub>4</sub> adsorbates with coordinatively saturated octahedral Ti, and hence no room left for direct Ti-Donor bonding interactions. In the present communication, based on state-of-the-art Density Functional Theory calculations and topological analyses of the surface, we show that the hypothesis of non-epitaxial TiCl<sub>4</sub>-ID adducts with ID molecules directly bonded to the active Ti is in much better agreement with the experimental facts. Breaking the paradigm of epitaxy leads to redefine structure-properties relations for these important catalysts, and can change the strategy of donor design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":346,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Catalysis","volume":"455 ","pages":"Article 116669"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923545","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}