Aerobic epoxidation of olefins catalyzed by the cobalt-based metal-organic framework STA-12(Co).

A Co-based metal-organic framework (MOF) was investigated as a catalytic material in the aerobic epoxidation of olefins in DMF and exhibited, based on catalyst mass, a remarkably high catalytic activity compared with the Co-doped zeolite catalysts that are typically used in this reaction. The structure of STA-12(Co) is similar to that of STA-12(Ni), as shown by XRD Rietveld refinement and is stable up to 270 °C. For the epoxidation reaction, significantly different selectivities were obtained depending on the substrate. Although styrene was epoxidized with low selectivity due to oligomerization, (E)-stilbene was converted with high selectivities between 80 and 90 %. Leaching of Co was low and the reaction was found to proceed mainly heterogeneously. The catalyst was reusable with only a small loss of activity. The catalytic epoxidation of stilbene with the MOF featured an induction period, which was, interestingly, considerably reduced by styrene/stilbene co-epoxidation. This could be traced back to the formation of benzaldehyde promoting the reaction. Detailed parameter and catalytic studies, including in situ EPR and EXAFS spectroscopy, were performed to obtain an initial insight into the reaction mechanism.

Oscillatory behaviour of catalytic properties, structure and temperature during the catalytic partial oxidation of methane on Pd/Al(2)O(3).

Pd/Al(2)O(3) catalysts showed an oscillatory behaviour during the catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) of methane, which was investigated simultaneously by IR-thermography, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and online mass-spectrometry to correlate the temperature, state of the catalyst and catalytic performance. The following stages were observed: (i) build-up of a temperature maximum in the first half of the catalyst bed, (ii) reduction of palladium in the end zone of the catalyst bed with a front moving toward the entrance zone, (iii) strong hot spot formation accompanied by reduction of palladium due to self-reduction leading to extinction of the process. The latter was the key driver for the oscillations and thus gave additional insight into the mechanism of partial methane oxidation.

Structural changes of noble metal catalysts during ignition and extinction of the partial oxidation of methane studied by advanced QEXAFS techniques.

The dynamics of the ignition and extinction of the catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) of methane to hydrogen and carbon monoxide over Pt-Rh/Al(2)O(3) and Pt/Al(2)O(3) were studied in the subsecond timescale using quick-EXAFS with a novel cam-driven X-ray monochromator employing Si(111) and Si(311) crystals. The experiments were performed under reaction conditions in a small fixed-bed capillary reactor. For the first time XAS data were taken with this QEXAFS technique with a Si(311) crystal that opens the energy range up to 35 keV. In addition, both XANES and EXAFS data are shown at the Pt L(3)-edge, allowing to discuss the potential and limitation of this technique in catalysis and related areas. With respect to the noble metal catalysed partial oxidation of methane, several interesting observations were made: structural changes during ignition were-independent of the chosen reaction conditions-significantly faster than during the extinction of the reaction. The dynamic behavior of the catalysts was dependent on the flow conditions and the respective noble metal component(s). Higher reaction gas flow led to a faster ignition process. While the ignition over Pt-Rh/Al(2)O(3) occurred at lower temperature than over Pt/Al(2)O(3), the structural changes during ignition were significantly faster in the latter case. The rate of reduction of the catalyst during ignition was also dependent on the axial position in the fixed-bed. The spectroscopic results provide important insight into the ignition and extinction behavior of the CPO of methane and are complementing results from time-resolved infrared thermography and full field X-ray microscopy studies.