Using Immobilized Ru Hydride Complexes to Understand the Interaction of Molecular Heterogeneous Catalysts with the Pore Walls under Catalytic Conditions (C07*)

• Subject Area: Physical Chemistry of Solids and Surfaces, Material Characterisation
• Term: from 2020 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 358283783

Molecular heterogeneous catalysts (B1-3) often suffer from low activity and deactivation due to surface collapse (interaction with the pore wall). Here, we present a method for detecting surface collapse under catalytic conditions. We will immobilize ruthenium complexes inside of Lewis acidic mesoporous materials (A4-6). Since Lewis acids change the selectivity of ruthenium hydride catalysts in CO2 hydrogenation, the product distribution is a direct probe of the amount of surface collapse (when the complex is close to the Lewis acids). This will be corroborated through the use of advanced spectroscopies (C1 and S1).

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1333: Molecular Heterogeneous Catalysis in Confined Geometries
• Applicant Institution: Universität Stuttgart
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Deven Estes