Synthesis of Supported Ultrafine Non-noble Subnanometer-Scale Metal Particles Derived from Metal-Organic Frameworks as Highly Efficient Heterogeneous Catalysts

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie (International ed.) Vol. 55; no. 3; pp. 1080 - 1084
• Main Authors: Kang, Xinchen, Liu, Huizhen, Hou, Minqiang, Sun, Xiaofu, Han, Hongling, Jiang, Tao, Zhang, Zhaofu, Han, Buxing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Blackwell Publishing Ltd 18.01.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: Benzene; benzene hydrogenation; Catalysts; Chemical synthesis; Cobalt; Cyclohexane; Hydrogenation; Metal particles; Metal-organic frameworks; Metals; Nanoparticles; Nickel; non-noble metals; Particle size; Platinum; Silicon dioxide; supported catalysts; ultrafine nanoparticles; non-noble metals; benzene hydrogenation; supported catalysts; ultrafine nanoparticles; metal-organic frameworks
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201508107

The properties of supported non‐noble metal particles with a size of less than 1 nm are unknown because their synthesis is a challenge. A strategy has now been created to immobilize ultrafine non‐noble metal particles on supports using metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as metal precursors. Ni/SiO2 and Co/SiO2 catalysts were synthesized with an average metal particle size of 0.9 nm. The metal nanoparticles were immobilized uniformly on the support with a metal loading of about 20 wt %. Interestingly, the ultrafine non‐noble metal particles exhibited very high activity for liquid‐phase hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexane even at 80 °C, while Ni/SiO2 with larger Ni particles fabricated by a conventional method was not active under the same conditions. A fine catalyst: A strategy to immobilize ultrafine non‐noble metal particles on supports is proposed. Ni/SiO2 and Co/SiO2 catalysts with average metal particle sizes of 0.9 nm were successfully synthesized from MOFs. The Ni and Co nanoparticles were supported uniformly on porous SiO2 with a metal loading of about 20 wt %. The catalysts have very high activity for liquid‐phase hydrogenation of benzene even at temperatures as low as 80 °C.