Catalytic CO Oxidation by O2 Mediated by Noble‐Metal‐Free Cluster Anions Cu2VO3–5

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 57; no. 13; pp. 3349 - 3353
• Main Authors: Wang, Li‐Na, Li, Xiao‐Na, Jiang, Li‐Xue, Yang, Bin, Liu, Qing‐Yu, Xu, Hong‐Guang, Zheng, Wei‐Jun, He, Sheng‐Gui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 19.03.2018
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: Anions; Bimetals; carbon monoxide; Catalysis; Catalysts; Clusters; Collision dynamics; Copper; heterogeneous catalysis; Ions; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Metals; Noble metals; Oxidation; Photoelectron spectroscopy; Vanadium
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201712129

Catalytic CO oxidation by molecular O2 is an important model reaction in both the condensed phase and gas‐phase studies. Available gas‐phase studies indicate that noble metal is indispensable in catalytic CO oxidation by O2 under thermal collision conditions. Herein, we identified the first example of noble‐metal‐free heteronuclear oxide cluster catalysts, the copper–vanadium bimetallic oxide clusters Cu2VO3–5− for CO oxidation by O2. The reactions were characterized by mass spectrometry, photoelectron spectroscopy, and density functional calculations. The dynamic nature of the Cu−Cu unit in terms of the electron storage and release is the driving force to promote CO oxidation and O2 activation during the catalysis. Noble‐metal‐free heteronuclear oxide cluster catalysts, the copper–vanadium bimetallic oxide clusters Cu2VO3–5− for CO oxidation by O2, have been experimentally identified. The catalysis is driven by the electron cycling on the Cu−Cu unit in Cu2VO3–5− clusters.