US-Federal Republic of Germany Cooperative Research: Supported Metal Catalysts with Unique Structures Derived from Molecular Metal Clusters

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This award supports Dr. Bruce C. Gates of the Center for Catalytic Science and Technology, University of Delaware, to collaborate in research with Dr. Helmut Knoezinger of the Institute for Physical Chemistry, University of Munich, FRG. They share an interest in catalysis and surface chemistry, and are collaborating in a study of new classes of metal catalysts prepared from organometallic precursors on basic metal oxide supports. The precursors they are using include rhenium, rhodium, osmium, iridium and platinum. The supports include magnesium oxide, lanthanum oxide and calcium oxide. The catalysts include ensembles of mononuclear complexes, robust anionic metal clusters, and metal aggregates with unique nuclearities formed by removal of ligands from molecular metal clusters. After preparing a variety of supported catalysts, they will determine their structures and characterize the reactivities of surface bound clusters. They will also experimentally determine their catalytic activities, selectivities and stabilities for industrially important test reactions. The work will be shared based on the complementary expertise and facilities of the two research groups. Dr. Knoezinger has expertise in surface physical chemistry and spectroscopy and Dr. Gates has worked more with surface organometallic synthesis and detailed characterization of catalyst performance using flow-reactor techniques. Therefore, the catalysts will be prepared in Delaware and the analyses and experimental testing will be done in both laboratories, depending on where the appropriate equipment and available manpower is located. This research will advance fundamental understanding of the structures and catalytic activities of metal oxide-supported metal catalysts having molecular structures. It may also elucidate the role of molecular metal clusters in what have heretofore been considered conventional supported metal catalysts. By making the connection between molecular metal complex catalysts and cluster catalysts and conventional supported metal catalysts, it will point the way to possible exploitation of the molecular precursors in the preparation of novel catalytic materials.