Intermetallic YIr2 nanoparticles with negatively charged Ir active sites for catalytic hydrogenation of cyclohexanone to cyclohexanol

Abstract

Intermetallic YIr₂ nanoparticles with a high surface area (55 m² g⁻¹) were prepared from Y₂O₃ as a Y source using a molten salt method. The alloyed nanoparticles catalyzed the hydrogenation of cyclohexanone to cyclohexanol similarly to the Pt/C catalyst, whereas Y₂O₃-/SiO₂-supported Ir produced no cyclohexanol. Because we found via density functional theory calculations that the electronic configuration of the negatively charged Ir ion in YIr₂ was close to Pt⁰, the unique catalytic activity in YIr₂ could mainly be due to the charge transfer from Y to Ir.