Chemical Communications 2010-06-14

Surface X-ray studies of catalytic clean technologies.

Adam F Lee, Vinod Prabhakaran, Karen Wilson

Index: Chem. Commun. (Camb.) 46(22) , 3827-42, (2010)

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Abstract

The rational design of new heterogeneous catalysts for clean chemical technologies can be accelerated by molecular level insight into surface chemical processes. In situ methodologies, able to provide time-resolved and/or pressure dependent information on the evolution of reacting adsorbed layers over catalytically relevant surfaces, are therefore of especial interest. Here we discuss recent applications of surface X-ray techniques to surface-catalysed oxidations, (de)hydrogenations, C-C coupling, dehalogenation and associated catalyst restructuring, and explore how these may help to shape future sustainable chemistry.