March 2012 – Catalysis Science & Technology Blog

Archive for March, 2012

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30 Mar 2012

Next month will see Catalysis Science & Technology reach its first anniversary, meaning we are more than half way through our free access period!

At the end of this year the journal will no longer be free to access, so make sure you make the most of this free period and sign up to free access by clicking on the big pink button on our journal homepage. Alternatively just click below and we’ll redirect you to the registration page.

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Heterogenising tungsten POMs for epoxidation catalysis

30 Mar 2012

Tungsten-based polyoxometalates have been identified as ideal catalysts for epoxidation of alkenes, particularly since the corresponding reaction utilises H₂O₂ as the oxidant where only water is produced as the by-product. In order for this catalytic approach to be useful for industrial scale-up, the catalyst must be able to be separated from the products and recycled – heterogeneous catalysis being one route to achieve this.

In their recent HOT Catalysis Science & Technology article, Jean-Marc Clacens and his team describe how the tungsten POMs can be encapsulated within mesoporous silica (SBA-15) to effect the epoxidation of styrene and methyl oleate in solvent-free conditions. By grafting octyl groups onto the surface at the pore entrances, they ensured that the POM species did not leach from the silica, enabling re-use of the catalyst.

Clacen’s method is sure to inspire further research for developing green syntheses of such synthetically valuable epoxide molecules.

Download the article now for free now…
Catalytic epoxidation of styrene and methyl oleate over peroxophosphotungstate entrapped in mesoporous SBA-15
Evelyne Poli, Rodolphe De Sousa, François Jérome, Yannick Pouilloux and Jean-Marc Clacens

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Borderline catalyst has best of both worlds

28 Mar 2012

Heterogeneous catalysts in the powerful Suzuki–Miyaura reaction for forming C–C bonds are still struggling to rival homogeneous ones in terms of catalytic activity, despite being more reusable and easier to recover. But now, scientists from China have made an inorganic-supported palladium catalyst that is soluble in organic solvent for the first time.

The homogenised zirconium phosphate supported catalysts can be used at room temperature and removed from the reaction mixture using solid/liquid separation.

By bridging the shortcomings of both heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts, the team have produced a borderline class of catalyst, which can easily be extended to other metal systems.

Read the Catalysis Science & Technology article now…
Homogenization of inorganic material-supported palladium catalysts in Suzuki coupling reaction at room temperature
Yueyue Ma, Xuebing Ma, Qiang Wang and Jinqin Zhou

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Top ten most accessed articles in February

27 Mar 2012

This month sees the following articles in Catalysis Science & Technology that are in the top ten most accessed:-

Graphene-based materials for catalysis
Bruno F. Machado and Philippe Serp
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, 2, 54-75 DOI: 10.1039/C1CY00361E

CdS–graphene and CdS–CNT nanocomposites as visible-light photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution and organic dye degradation
Aihua Ye , Wenqing Fan , Qinghong Zhang , Weiping Deng and Ye Wang
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/C2CY20027A

Metal–organic frameworks as heterogeneous catalysts for oxidation reactions
Amarajothi Dhakshinamoorthy , Mercedes Alvaro and Hermenegildo Garcia
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2011, 1, 856-867 DOI: 10.1039/C1CY00068C

Asymmetric catalysis using iron complexes –‘Ruthenium Lite’?
Muftah Darwish and Martin Wills
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, 2, 243-255 DOI: 10.1039/C1CY00390A

Lanthanide modified semiconductor photocatalysts
Amanda S. Weber , Anne M. Grady and Ranjit T. Koodali
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/C2CY00552B

Challenge and progress: palladium-catalyzed sp3 C–H activation
Hu Li , Bi-Jie Li and Zhang-Jie Shi
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2011, 1, 191-206 DOI: 10.1039/C0CY00076K

One-pot synthesis of CuO nanoflower-decorated reduced graphene oxide and its application to photocatalytic degradation of dyes
Sen Liu , Jingqi Tian , Lei Wang , Yonglan Luo and Xuping Sun
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, 2, 339-344 DOI: 10.1039/C1CY00374G

A review of controllable synthesis and enhancement of performances of bismuth tungstate visible-light-driven photocatalysts
Liwu Zhang and Yongfa Zhu
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/C2CY00411A

Recent progress in the electrochemical conversion and utilization of CO2
Neil S. Spinner , Jose A. Vega and William E. Mustain
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, 2, 19-28 DOI: 10.1039/C1CY00314C

Large-scale synthesis of ceria-based nano-oxides with high CO oxidation activity
Pankaj Bharali , Pranjal Saikia and Benjaram M. Reddy
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012, Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/C2CY20024D

Why not take a look at the articles today and blog your thoughts and comments below.

Fancy submitting an article to Catalysis Science & Technology? Then why not submit to us today or alternatively email us your suggestions.

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Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Catalysis in Industry themed issue – welcoming submissions

26 Mar 2012

We are pleased to welcome submissions for the latest Catalysis Science & Technology themed issue, Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Catalysis in Industry, guest edited by Professors Johannes de Vries and David Jackson.

The themed issue will focus on the innovative research required before a catalytic process can be transferred to production. We would love to receive your research in topic areas ranging across catalyst library screening; catalytic mechanisms; inhibition and deactivation phenomena; recycling and catalyst regeneration; and the interplay between catalysis and chemical engineering.

The deadline for submissions is 16th May 2012 and can be made through our online submission system. Please mark on your submission that it is for the Catalysis in Industry themed issue but be aware that all manuscripts received will undergo the normal refereeing procedure. Please note that inclusion in the issue is subject to the discretion of the guest editors.

For further guidance on our article types, visit our author guidelines. And feel welcome to contact us in the Editorial Office for more information.

We hope to receive your submission shortly!

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Specialist Periodical Reports: Catalysis

23 Mar 2012

There is an increasing need to find cost-effective and environmentally sound methods of converting natural resources into fuels, chemicals and energy; catalysts are pivotal to such processes. Catalysis highlights major developments in this area. Coverage of this Specialist Periodical Report includes all major areas of heterogeneous catalysis. In each volume, specific areas of current interest are reviewed. Examples of topics include experimental methods, acid/base catalysis, materials synthesis, environmental catalysis, and syngas conversion.

CatalysisVolume 24
James J Spivey (Editor), Mayank Gupta (Editor)
ISBN: 978-1-84973-375-5
Copyright: 2012
Format: Hardback
Extent: 370
Volume: 24

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Understanding titania nanotubes for photocatalysis

20 Mar 2012

Titania nanotubes have promising photo-oxidative and photo-reductive activities.

Kimberly Gray and Kevin Schwartzenberg from Northwestern University present an overview on the synthesis, characterisation and applications of titania nanotubes from a photocatalytic angle in this Hot Perspective. A greater appreciation of the different properties of the inner and outer surfaces of titania nanotubes will aid the fundamental understanding of chemical, optical and electrical processes occurring in applications such as for solar fuel production.

Read the Perspective for free…

Nanostructured Titania: the current and future promise of Titania nanotubes
Kevin C. Schwartzenberg and Kimberly A. Gray
Catal. Sci. Technol., 2012
DOI: 10.1039/C2CY00538G

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The quest for cleaner, cheaper, more sustainable energy

12 Mar 2012

While the earth’s reserves of non-renewable energy are reducing…. our demands for energy are not. Given this is unsustainable, there is a global need to both reduce our energy consumption and develop more sustainable energy sources. Catalysis is a key player in this, potentially providing direct, efficient and economical routes to energy generation.

Here we have selected a few papers from Catalysis Science & Technology which look to develop and review catalyst based technologies for renewable energy. To mark Catalysis Science & Technology‘s recent launch, all articles are free to access for the duration of 2012.

Click here to read more

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Extended application for carbon nitride polymer

07 Mar 2012

A collaboration of scientists from Germany and China have developed a solid polymeric base catalyst for Knoevenagel condensations and transesterification reactions. The mesoporous catalyst is made from graphitic carbon nitride which has already been shown by the authors as a very promising material due to its remarkable electronic properties and large 2D-surface area (see their recent Chemical Science article here).

In their most recent Catalysis Science & Technology article, they illustrate how the incorporated nitrogen atoms display Lewis-base character that can be exploited for organocatalytic C-C coupling reactions, affording high product yield after numerous cycles.

With its ability to catalyse photoredox reactions already proven, and now its base catalytic properties, this really is a multifunctional catalyst which should find application in cascade reactions.

Read the article now:
mpg-C₃N₄ as a solid base catalyst for Knoevenagel condensations and transesterification reactions
Fangzheng Su, Markus Antonietti and Xinchen Wang

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Biodiesel catalysts

07 Mar 2012

Karen Wilson and Adam Lee from Cardiff University discuss the recent development of heterogeneous catalysts for synthesising biodiesel.

Biodiesel is synthesised from triglycerides and free fatty acids that have been extracted from plant oil seeds (such as rapeseed, palm, soybean), animal fats, and algae. Transesterification and esterification of triglycerides and free fatty acids, respectively, using simple acid or base catalysis produces the resultant biodiesel alkyl ester.

biodiesel synthesis

Soluble base or acid catalyts can create problems such as reactor corrosion and you also have the added task of having to remove the catalyst from the product which can be somewhat energy intensive (thereby lessening the green-ness of the fuel). It would seem that heterogeneous catalysis is the way forward, providing a more efficient process and also enabling greater purity of the glycerol by-product .

As Wilson and Lee set out in their Perspective article, several considerations should be made when designing solid acid and base catalysts: acid or base strength, tuneable surface polarity, and pore architecture.

To find out the effects these catalytic properties have, download the article now for free…

Rational design of heterogeneous catalysts for biodiesel synthesis
Karen Wilson and Adam F. Lee

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