Trends and descriptors of heterogeneous hydroformylation activity and selectivity of RhM3 (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn) catalysts

Abstract

Monometallic Rh/MCM-41 and bimetallic RhM₃/MCM-41 (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, or Zn) catalysts are synthesized and tested for vapor-phase ethylene hydroformylation reaction. Co is found to exhibit a significant promotion effect on the selectivity of hydroformylation to C₃ oxygenates, followed by Fe and Cu, with Ni and Zn showing a negative effect. DFT calculations reveal that the addition of a secondary metal can provide a new type of site, being able to selectively tune the binding energies of reaction intermediates, and thus lead to different catalytic performances.