The incorporation of boron into carbon material can significantly enhance its capacity performances.However,the origin of the promotion effect of boron doping on electrochemical performances is still unclear,in part d...The incorporation of boron into carbon material can significantly enhance its capacity performances.However,the origin of the promotion effect of boron doping on electrochemical performances is still unclear,in part due to the inadequate exposure of boron configurations resulting from the complexity of traditional carbon materials.To overcome this issue,herein,a series of boron-doped graphene with highly-exposed boron configurations are prepared by tuning annealing temperature.Then the correlation between boron configurations and the electrochemical performances is investigated.The combination of density-functional theory(DFT)computation and NH3-TPD/Py-FTIR indicates that the BCO_(2)configuration formed on the surface of graphene is easier to accept lone-pair electrons than BC_(2)O and BC_(3)configurations due to the stronger Lewis acidity.Such an electronic structure can effectively reduce the number of unstable electron donors and stabilize the electrochemical interface,which is proved by NMR,and critical for improving the electrochemical performances.Further experiments confirm that the optimized BG800 with the largest amount of BCO_(2)configuration presents ultralow leak current,improved cyclic stability,and better rate performance in SBPBF4/PC.This work would provide an insight into the design of high-performance boron-doped carbon materials towards energy storage.展开更多
β,γ-Unsaturated a-diazocarbonyl compounds possess two reactive sites for electrophilic addition-one at the diazo carbon and the other at the vinylogous γ-position.Controlled by catalyst,divergent transformations ar...β,γ-Unsaturated a-diazocarbonyl compounds possess two reactive sites for electrophilic addition-one at the diazo carbon and the other at the vinylogous γ-position.Controlled by catalyst,divergent transformations are achieved starting from the same starting materials,either by Lewis acid-catalyzed addition or by dirhodium-catalyzed metal carbene reactions.In select cases two catalysts working in combination or in sequence provide a relay for cascade transformations.In this review,we summarize advances in catalyst-dependent divergent transformations of β,γ-unsaturated α-diazocarbonyl compounds and highlight the potential of this exciting research area and the many challenges that remain.展开更多
Ceramic cells promise ideal energy conversion and storage devices,making the development of efficient and robust air electrodes crucial for their application.In this study,a Ba_(0.4)Sr_(0.5)Cs_(0.1)Co_(0.7)Fe_(0.2)Nb_...Ceramic cells promise ideal energy conversion and storage devices,making the development of efficient and robust air electrodes crucial for their application.In this study,a Ba_(0.4)Sr_(0.5)Cs_(0.1)Co_(0.7)Fe_(0.2)Nb_(0.1)O_(3−δ)(BSCCFN)air electrode,based on Ba_(0.5)Sr_(0.5)Co_(0.8)Fe_(0.2)O_(3−δ)(BSCF),is designed using a perovskite A-B-site ionic Lewis acid strength(ISA)polarization distribution strategy and is successfully applied in both oxygen-ion conducting solid oxide fuel cells(O-SOFCs)and proton-conducting reversible protonic ceramic cells(R-PCCs).When BSCCFN is used as the air electrode in O-SOFCs,a peak power density(PPD)of 1.45 W cm^(−2)is achieved at 650°C,whereas in R-PCCs,a PPD of 1.13 W cm^(−2)and a current density of−1.8 A cm^(−2)at 1.3 V are achieved at the same temperature and show stable reversibility over 100 h.Experimental measurements and theoretical calculations demonstrate that low-ISA Cs+doping accelerates the reaction kinetics of both oxygen ions and protons,while high-ISA Nb^(5+)doping enhances electrode stability.The synergistic effect of Cs^(+)and Nb^(5+)co-doping in the BSCCFN electrode lies in the ISA polarization distribution,which weakens the Co/Fe–O bond covalency,thereby promoting oxygen vacancy formation and facilitating the conduction of oxygen ions and protons.展开更多
The Jellium closed-shell model,a cornerstone of cluster science,has long guided the design of superatoms by dictating electron-counting rules.However,its reliance on precise control of cluster composition and electron...The Jellium closed-shell model,a cornerstone of cluster science,has long guided the design of superatoms by dictating electron-counting rules.However,its reliance on precise control of cluster composition and electron shell occupancy presents significant experimental challenges.Here,we introduce a ligation strategy that circumvents these limitations by demonstrating that the adiabatic electron affinity(AEA) of aluminum-based clusters,whether with filled or partially filled electron shells,can be dramatically enhanced through the attachment of organic Lewis acid ligands.It was evidenced that the AEA of PAl12can be significantly increased by 2.17 e V after the ligation of two ligands,indicating a remarkable improvement in its electron-accepting ability.This approach yields superhalogen species,offering a versatile and practical means to tune the electronic properties of clusters while preserving their superatomic states,independent of shell occupancy.Remarkably,this ligand-induced modulation is not confined to naked clusters but also extends to nano-confined systems,hinting at its broader applicability.Given the indispensable role of ligands in cluster synthesis,this strategy holds promise for advancing the field of condensed-phase superatom synthesis,potentially complementing traditional electron-counting rules in a broader range of applications.展开更多
Lewis acid(LA)and Lewis base(LB)sites on catalyst surfaces play a pivotal role in catalytic reactions.By precisely modulating the type,density,and spatial distribution of these Lewis acid/base sites,catalytic performa...Lewis acid(LA)and Lewis base(LB)sites on catalyst surfaces play a pivotal role in catalytic reactions.By precisely modulating the type,density,and spatial distribution of these Lewis acid/base sites,catalytic performance indicators such as catalytic activity,selectivity,and stability can be effectively optimized.As a result,they become essential parameters that must be considered in the design and development of high-efficiency catalysts.This study proposes a surface engineering method to accurately control the concentration of surface LA and LB sites in defect-laden In_(2)O_(3-x)(OH)_(y)(denoted as N-n%-IO),establishing three types of LB/LA stoichiometric ratios with different photocatalytic CO_(2)hydrogenation performances.It is demonstrated that the LB-rich system(LB/LA>1)shows suppressed activity.In contrast,the balanced stoichiometric ratio system(LB/LA=1)attains an optimal methanol yield(179.79μmol g^(-1)h^(-1))and selectivity(43.67%),while the LA-rich system(LB/LA<1)exhibits the best CO production rate(1913.76μmol g^(-1)h^(-1))and selectivity(94.96%).Systematic experiments disclose that the balanced LB/LA system with adjacent surface frustrated Lewis pairs(SFLPs)can effectively facilitate the adsorption/activation of reactants,stabilize intermediates,and regulate the dynamic behavior of photo-generated carriers.However,the imbalanced LB/LA systems either lack necessary active sites or can only follow an oxygen vacancy-mediated pathway during photocatalytic CO_(2)hydrogenation.This work offers a comprehensive understanding of the crucial functions of surface Lewis acid/base sites in the product distribution of solar-driven CO_(2)reduction.展开更多
Various methods have been developed to measure the strength of a Lewis acid.A major challenge for these measurements lies in the complexity that arises from variable solvent interactions and perturbations of Lewis aci...Various methods have been developed to measure the strength of a Lewis acid.A major challenge for these measurements lies in the complexity that arises from variable solvent interactions and perturbations of Lewis acids as their reaction environment changes.Herein,we investigate the impact of solvent effects on Lewis acids for the first time as measured by the fluorescent Lewis adduct(FLA)method.The binding of a Lewis acid in various solvents reveals a measurable dichotomy between both polarity and donor ability of the solvent.While not strictly separable,we observe that the influence of solvent polarity on Lewis acid unit(LAU)values is distinctly opposite to the influence of donor ability.This dichotomy was confirmed by titration data,illustrating that solvation effects can be appropriately and precisely gauged by the FLA method.展开更多
The dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass is a well understood process that significantly enhances the yield of glucose after enzymatic saccharification.The goal of this research was to perform ...The dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass is a well understood process that significantly enhances the yield of glucose after enzymatic saccharification.The goal of this research was to perform a systematic study to evaluate the yield of fermentable sugars during dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment that is co-catalyzed with the transition metal Lewis acid salts:AlCl_(3),FeCl_(2),FeCl_(3),and La(OTf)_(3).All Lewis acids apart from FeCl_(2)reduced the presence of xylo-oligomers by a large margin when compared to the non-co-catalyzed control sample pretreatments.The presence of these xylo-oligomers acts as inhibitors during enzymatic saccaharification step.The Lewis acids AlCl_(3),FeCl_(3),and La(OTf)_(3)were also able to marginally increase the overall enzymatic digestibility specifically for corn stover pretreated at 160℃with 10 mM of Lewis acids.The hard Lewis acid such as AlCl3 increased the formation inhibitory products such as furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF).There was good correlation between reduction of xylo-oligomers and increased concentration furfural with increase in Lewis acid hardness.展开更多
The radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate(MMA)was carried out in the presence of combined Lewis acids of the AlCl3-FeCl2 system.Compared with the polymerization produced in the presence of single Lewis acids,A...The radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate(MMA)was carried out in the presence of combined Lewis acids of the AlCl3-FeCl2 system.Compared with the polymerization produced in the presence of single Lewis acids,AlCl3 or FeCl2,the MMA polymerization in the presence of AlCl3-FeCl2 composite in CHCl3 or 1-butanol produced a polymer with a higher isotacticity and in toluene produced a polymer with a much higher isotacticity(mm=50%).The molecular weight and polydispersity of PMMA in the presence of Lewis acids were similar with those in the absence of Lewis acids,although Lewis acids decelerate the polymerization of MMA.The effects of the Lewis acids were greater in a solvent with a lower polarity.A possible stereocontrol mechanism of the polymerization was proposed.The Lewis acid composite of AlCl3-FeCl2 readily formed a complex with growing species.These complexes possessed apparent bulkiness that changes the direction of monomer addition to the growing radical center.展开更多
Recent advances in photocatalysis have enabled radical methods with complementary chemoselectivity to established two electron bond forming approaches.While this radical strategy has previously been limited to substra...Recent advances in photocatalysis have enabled radical methods with complementary chemoselectivity to established two electron bond forming approaches.While this radical strategy has previously been limited to substrates with favorable redox potentials,Brønsted/Lewis acid activation has emerged as a means of facilitating otherwise difficult reductions.We report herein our investigations into the Lewis acid-promoted redox activation ofβ-ketocarbonyls in a model photocatalytic radical alkylation reaction.Rapid evaluation of substrates and reactions conditions was achieved by high throughput experimentation using 96-well plate photoreactors.展开更多
The high-efficiency conversion of biomass resources to biofuels has attracted widespread attention, and the active sites and synergistic effect of catalysts significantly impact their surface arrangement and electroni...The high-efficiency conversion of biomass resources to biofuels has attracted widespread attention, and the active sites and synergistic effect of catalysts significantly impact their surface arrangement and electronic structure. Here, a nickel-based transition metal carbide catalyst(Ni/TMC) with high Lewis acidity was prepared by self-assembly of transition metal carbide(TMC) and nickel, which exhibited excellent performance on synergistic hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF) into liquid biofuel 2,5-dimethylfuran(DMF).Notably, Ni/WC with the highest Lewis acidity(4728.3 μmol g^(-1)) can achieve 100% conversion of HMF to 97.6% yield of DMF, with a turnover frequency of up to 46.5 h^(-1). The characterization results demonstrate that the rich Lewis acid sites yielded by the synergistic effect between Ni species and TMC are beneficial for the C=O hydrogenation and C–O cleavage, thereby accelerating the process of hydrodeoxygenation(HDO). Besides, a kinetic model for the HDO of HMF to DMF process has been established based on the experimental results, which elucidated a significant correlation between the measured and the predicted data(R^(2)> 0.97). Corresponding to the adsorption configuration of Ni/WC and substrate determined by in-situ FTIR characterization, this study provides a novel insight into the selective conversion of HMF process for functional biofuel and bio-chemicals.展开更多
High-capacity LiBH_(4)is a promising solid hydrogen storage material.However,the large electron cloud density between the B-H bonds in LiBH_(4)induces high dehydrogenation temperatures and sluggish dehydrogenation kin...High-capacity LiBH_(4)is a promising solid hydrogen storage material.However,the large electron cloud density between the B-H bonds in LiBH_(4)induces high dehydrogenation temperatures and sluggish dehydrogenation kinetics.To solve the above problems,it is proposed to enhance the hydrogen storage properties of LiBH_(4)through the synergistic effect of Brønsted and Lewis acid in Hβzeolite.Composite hydrogen storage systems with different mass ratios were prepared by simple ball-milling.At a LiBH_(4)-to-Hβmass ratio of 6:4,the 6LiBH_(4)-4Hβsystem released hydrogen at 190℃and achieved a hydrogen release capacity of 7.0 wt%H_(2)upon heating to 400℃.More importantly,the hydrogen release capacity of the system reached 6.02 wt%at 350℃under isothermal conditions after 100 min and 7.2 wt%at 400℃under isothermal conditions after 80 min,whereas the pristine LiBH_(4)only achieved 2.2 wt%.The improvement in hydrogen storage performance of the system was mainly attributed to two factors:(i)Lewis acid sites with acceptable electrons in the Hβweaken the electron density of B-H bonds in LiBH_(4),and(ii)the H+proton from the Brønsted acid sites and H−of LiBH_(4)undergo a H^(+)+H^(−)=H_(2)reaction.Theoretical calculations revealed that the Lewis and Brønsted acid sites in the Hβzeolite are conducive to the weakening of B-H bonds and that storage charge transfer occurs near the Lewis acid sites.The present work provides new insights into improving the hydrogen storage performance of LiBH_(4)by weakening the B-H bonds in the LiBH_(4).展开更多
Direct electrolysis of seawater offers a transformative technology for sustainable hydrogen production,circumventing the constraint of freshwater scarcity.However,the serious electrode corrosion and competitive chlori...Direct electrolysis of seawater offers a transformative technology for sustainable hydrogen production,circumventing the constraint of freshwater scarcity.However,the serious electrode corrosion and competitive chloride oxidation reactions make oxygen evolution reaction(OER)in seawater extremely challenging.Herein,the low-cost and scalable CoFe layered double hydroxides with Cl^(-)intercalation and decorated with Ce(OH)_(3)(named as CoFe-Cl^(-)/Ce(OH)_(3))catalyst is synthesized via rapid electrodeposition under ambient conditions,which is quickly reconstructed into a CeO_(2)decorated and Cl^(-)intercalated CoFeOOH(CoFeOOH-Cl^(-)/CeO_(2))during OER.Theoretical investigation reveals that Cl^(-)intercalation weakens the adsorption ability of Cl^(-)on Co/Fe atoms and hinders unfavorable coupling with chloride,thereby preventing the chlorine corrosion process and enhancing catalytic stability and activity.The CeO_(2)with hard Lewis acidity preferentially binds to OH-with harder Lewis base to ensure the OH-rich microenvironment around catalyst even under high current operating conditions,thus further enhancing stability and improving OER activity.The functionalized CoFe-Cl^(-)/Ce(OH)_(3)delivers 1000 mA cm^(-2)current density at only 329 mV overpotential with excellent stability for 1000 h under alkaline seawater.Electrochemical experiments elucidate the OER catalytic mechanism in which CeO_(2)serves as a co-catalyst for enriching OH-and CoFeOOH-Cl^(-)is the active species.Our work is a substantial step towards achieving massive and sustainable production of hydrogen fuel from immense seawater.展开更多
Clay minerals play a crucial role in catalyzing kerogen to form hydrocarbons,significantly influencing petroleum system evolution.Montmorillonite(MT)dehydrates upon heating;however,the catalytic mechanisms governing t...Clay minerals play a crucial role in catalyzing kerogen to form hydrocarbons,significantly influencing petroleum system evolution.Montmorillonite(MT)dehydrates upon heating;however,the catalytic mechanisms governing the thermal decomposition of organic matter at different dehydration levels remain unclear.Additionally,the mechanism by which external water suppresses MT’s catalytic efficiency remains debated.To resolve this issue,this study conducted pyrolysis simulation experiments(340℃,10 days)with various combinations of octadecanoic acid(OA),water,hydrochloric acid(HCl)solution,MT,dehydrated-MT,and illite.We integrated mineral/organic transformation analyses(XRD/FTIR/SSNMR/SEM),temperature-dependent characterization of solid acid sites(NH 3-TPD/FTIR),and quantitative product measurements(GC/GC-MS)to elucidate how clay-bound water and external water differentially regulate organic-matter cracking pathways.The results suggest that clay-bound water controls reaction pathways by tuning both the type(Brønsted vs.Lewis)and density of solid acid sites.External water inhibits catalytic efficiency by reducing direct contact between organic matter and solid acid sites.Compared with untreated MT,150°C-dehydrated MT-OA system exhibited strong interlayer water polarization,which increased Brønsted acid site density and enhanced the carbonium-ion mechanism,thereby promoting isoalkane production.In contrast,250℃-dehydrated MT-OA system,where interlayer water was nearly eliminated,had fewer Brønsted acid sites but greater exposure of Lewis acid sites,facilitating decarboxylation and increasing CO_(2) production.In hydrous systems,the addition of HCl solution did not enhance the carbonium-ion mechanism compared to the hydrous system with only water,indicating that only protons bound to solid acid sites,rather than liquid H+in water,can trigger the carbonium-ion reaction.This shows that the catalysis of organic-matter cracking by clay minerals such as MT is fundamentally an interfacial chemical process that requires direct mineral-organic contact;the presence of external water reduces catalytic efficiency primarily by physically separating OA from MT and hindering that contact.This study elucidates the controlling mechanisms of MT-catalyzed thermal cracking under different water conditions and deepens our understanding of hydrocarbon-generation pathways during kerogen maturation in sedimentary basins.展开更多
The azides were reduced to the corresponding amines by two new metal/Lewis acid systems in water or in aqueous EtOH in yields ranging from 80%-95%. The reaction rates were faster in water than in aqueous EtOH in most...The azides were reduced to the corresponding amines by two new metal/Lewis acid systems in water or in aqueous EtOH in yields ranging from 80%-95%. The reaction rates were faster in water than in aqueous EtOH in most cases. All 16 azides with different functional groups were well reduced to the corresponding amines in excellent yields and reaction rates.展开更多
Investigating structural and hydroxyl group effects in electrooxidation of alcohols to value-added products by solid-acid electrocatalysts is essential for upgrading biomass alcohols.Herein,we report efficient electro...Investigating structural and hydroxyl group effects in electrooxidation of alcohols to value-added products by solid-acid electrocatalysts is essential for upgrading biomass alcohols.Herein,we report efficient electrocatalytic oxidations of saturated alcohols(C_(1)-C_(6))to selectively form formate using Ni Co hydroxide(Ni Co-OH)derived Ni Co_(2)O_(4)solid-acid electrocatalysts with balanced Lewis acid(LASs)and Brønsted acid sites(BASs).Thermal treatment transforms BASs-rich(89.6%)Ni Co-OH into Ni Co_(2)O_(4)with nearly equal distribution of LASs(53.1%)and BASs(46.9%)which synergistically promote adsorption and activation of OH-and alcohol molecules for enhanced oxidation activity.In contrast,BASs-enriched Ni Co-OH facilitates formation of higher valence metal sites,beneficial for water oxidation.The combined experimental studies and theoretical calculation imply the oxidation ability of C1-C6alcohols increases as increased number of hydroxyl groups and decreased HOMO-LUMO gaps:methanol(C_(1))<ethylene glycol(C_(2))<glycerol(C3)<meso-erythritol(C4)<xylitol(C5)<sorbitol(C6),while the formate selectivity shows the opposite trend from 100 to 80%.This study unveils synergistic roles of LASs and BASs,as well as hydroxyl group effect in electro-upgrading of alcohols using solid-acid electrocatalysts.展开更多
Since the discovery in 2011,MXenes have become the rising star in the field of two-dimensional materials.Benefiting from the metallic-level conductivity,large and adjustable gallery spacing,low ion diffusion barrier,r...Since the discovery in 2011,MXenes have become the rising star in the field of two-dimensional materials.Benefiting from the metallic-level conductivity,large and adjustable gallery spacing,low ion diffusion barrier,rich surface chemistry,superior mechanical strength,MXenes exhibit great application prospects in energy storage and conversion,sensors,optoelectronics,electromagnetic interference shielding and biomedicine.Nevertheless,two issues seriously deteriorate the further development of MXenes.One is the high experimental risk of common preparation methods such as HF etching,and the other is the difficulty in obtaining MXenes with controllable surface groups.Recently,Lewis acidic etching,as a brand-new preparation strategy for MXenes,has attracted intensive attention due to its high safety and the ability to endow MXenes with uniform terminations.However,a comprehensive review of Lewis acidic etching method has not been reported yet.Herein,we first introduce the Lewis acidic etching from the following four aspects:etching mechanism,terminations regulation,in-situ formed metals and delamination of multi-layered MXenes.Further,the applications of MXenes and MXene-based hybrids obtained by Lewis acidic etching route in energy storage and conversion,sensors and microwave absorption are carefully summarized.Finally,some challenges and opportunities of Lewis acidic etching strategy are also presented.展开更多
Carbon materials have shown remarkable usefulness in facilitating the performance of insulating sulfur cathode for lithium–sulfur batteries owing to their excellent conductivity and porous structure. However,the anxi...Carbon materials have shown remarkable usefulness in facilitating the performance of insulating sulfur cathode for lithium–sulfur batteries owing to their excellent conductivity and porous structure. However,the anxiety is the poor affinity toward polar polysulfides due to the intrinsic nonpolar surface of carbon.Herein, we report a direct pyrolysis of the mixture urea and boric acid to synthesize B/N–codoped hierarchically porous carbon nanosheets(B–N–CSs) as efficient sulfur host for lithium–sulfur battery. The graphene–like B–N–CSs provides high specific surface area and porous structure with abundant micropores(1.1 nm) and low–range mesopores(2.3 nm), thereby constraining the sulfur active materials within the pores. More importantly, the codoped B/N elements can further enhance the polysulfide confinement through strong Li–N and B–S interaction based on the Lewis acid–base theory. These structural superiorities significantly suppress the shuttle effect by both physical confinement and chemical interaction, and promote the redox kinetics of polysulfide conversion. When evaluated as the cathode host, the S/B–N–CSs composite displays the excellent performance with a high reversible capacity up to 772 m A h g–1 at 0.5 C and a low fading rate of ^0.09% per cycle averaged upon 500 cycles. In particular, remarkable stability with a high capacity retention of 87.1% can be realized when augmenting the sulfur loading in the cathode up to 4.6 mg cm^(-2).展开更多
An experimental investigation was conducted to understand the roles of the Br？nsted acid H2SO4 and Lewis acid Al2（SO4）3 in methyl levulinate（ML） production from biomass carbohydrates, including glucose,fructose a...An experimental investigation was conducted to understand the roles of the Br？nsted acid H2SO4 and Lewis acid Al2（SO4）3 in methyl levulinate（ML） production from biomass carbohydrates, including glucose,fructose and cellulose. The product distributions with different catalysts revealed that the Lewis acid was responsible for the isomerization of methyl glucoside（MG）, producing a significant amount of the subsequent product 5-methoxymethylfurfural（MMF）, while the Br？nsted acid facilitated the production of ML from MMF. Al2（SO4）3 was efficient for monosaccharide conversion but not for cellulose. Using ball-milled cellulose with Al2（SO4）3 resulted in a desired ML yield within a reasonable reaction time. The significant catalysis performances of two types of acids will guide the design of efficient catalytic processes for the selective conversion of biomass into levulinate esters.展开更多
Novel Lewis acidic ionic liquids containing thionyl cations and chloroaluminate anions were obtained by one-pot synthesis for the first time. Their acidities were determined by acetonitrile probe on IR spectrography. ...Novel Lewis acidic ionic liquids containing thionyl cations and chloroaluminate anions were obtained by one-pot synthesis for the first time. Their acidities were determined by acetonitrile probe on IR spectrography. The ionic liquids were used as catalyst for Friedel-Crafts alkylation of benzene and 1-dodecene. The turnovers of l-dodecene were higher than 99%. Monoalkylbenzene selectivity was 98%, while the 2-substituent product selectivity was 45%.展开更多
The self-aldol condensation of aldehydes was investigated with rare-earth cations stabilized by[Si]Beta zeolites in parallel with bulk rare-earth metal oxides.Good catalytic performance was achieved with all Lewis aci...The self-aldol condensation of aldehydes was investigated with rare-earth cations stabilized by[Si]Beta zeolites in parallel with bulk rare-earth metal oxides.Good catalytic performance was achieved with all Lewis acidic rare-earth cations stabilized by zeolites and yttrium appeared to be the best metal choice.According to the results of several complementary techniques,i.e.,temperature-programmed surface reactions,in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy,ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy,the reaction pathway and mechanism of the aldehyde self-aldol condensation over Y/Beta catalyst were studied in more detail.Density functional theory calculations revealed that aldol dehydration was the rate-limiting step.The hydroxyl group at the open yttrium site played an important role in stabilizing the transition state of the aldol dimer reducing the energy barrier for its hydration.Lewis acidic Y(OSi)(OH)2 stabilized by zeolites in open configurations were identified as the preferred active sites for the self-aldol condensation of aldehydes.展开更多
基金the National Science Foundation for Excellent Young Scholars of China(21922815)the Key Research and Development(R&D)Projects of Shanxi Province(201903D121007)+3 种基金the Natural Science Foundations of Shanxi Province(201801D221156)the DNL Cooperation Fund of CAS(DNL180308)the Science and Technology Service Network Initiative of CAS(KFJ-STS-ZDTP-068)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of CAS。
文摘The incorporation of boron into carbon material can significantly enhance its capacity performances.However,the origin of the promotion effect of boron doping on electrochemical performances is still unclear,in part due to the inadequate exposure of boron configurations resulting from the complexity of traditional carbon materials.To overcome this issue,herein,a series of boron-doped graphene with highly-exposed boron configurations are prepared by tuning annealing temperature.Then the correlation between boron configurations and the electrochemical performances is investigated.The combination of density-functional theory(DFT)computation and NH3-TPD/Py-FTIR indicates that the BCO_(2)configuration formed on the surface of graphene is easier to accept lone-pair electrons than BC_(2)O and BC_(3)configurations due to the stronger Lewis acidity.Such an electronic structure can effectively reduce the number of unstable electron donors and stabilize the electrochemical interface,which is proved by NMR,and critical for improving the electrochemical performances.Further experiments confirm that the optimized BG800 with the largest amount of BCO_(2)configuration presents ultralow leak current,improved cyclic stability,and better rate performance in SBPBF4/PC.This work would provide an insight into the design of high-performance boron-doped carbon materials towards energy storage.
基金the National Institutes of Health(No.GM 46503)the National Science Foundation(No.CHE-1212446)the starting funding from Soochow University and Key Laboratory of Organic Synthesis of Jiangsu Province
文摘β,γ-Unsaturated a-diazocarbonyl compounds possess two reactive sites for electrophilic addition-one at the diazo carbon and the other at the vinylogous γ-position.Controlled by catalyst,divergent transformations are achieved starting from the same starting materials,either by Lewis acid-catalyzed addition or by dirhodium-catalyzed metal carbene reactions.In select cases two catalysts working in combination or in sequence provide a relay for cascade transformations.In this review,we summarize advances in catalyst-dependent divergent transformations of β,γ-unsaturated α-diazocarbonyl compounds and highlight the potential of this exciting research area and the many challenges that remain.
基金funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Award 91745203) supplemented by Central Universities’ Basic Research Funds.
文摘Ceramic cells promise ideal energy conversion and storage devices,making the development of efficient and robust air electrodes crucial for their application.In this study,a Ba_(0.4)Sr_(0.5)Cs_(0.1)Co_(0.7)Fe_(0.2)Nb_(0.1)O_(3−δ)(BSCCFN)air electrode,based on Ba_(0.5)Sr_(0.5)Co_(0.8)Fe_(0.2)O_(3−δ)(BSCF),is designed using a perovskite A-B-site ionic Lewis acid strength(ISA)polarization distribution strategy and is successfully applied in both oxygen-ion conducting solid oxide fuel cells(O-SOFCs)and proton-conducting reversible protonic ceramic cells(R-PCCs).When BSCCFN is used as the air electrode in O-SOFCs,a peak power density(PPD)of 1.45 W cm^(−2)is achieved at 650°C,whereas in R-PCCs,a PPD of 1.13 W cm^(−2)and a current density of−1.8 A cm^(−2)at 1.3 V are achieved at the same temperature and show stable reversibility over 100 h.Experimental measurements and theoretical calculations demonstrate that low-ISA Cs+doping accelerates the reaction kinetics of both oxygen ions and protons,while high-ISA Nb^(5+)doping enhances electrode stability.The synergistic effect of Cs^(+)and Nb^(5+)co-doping in the BSCCFN electrode lies in the ISA polarization distribution,which weakens the Co/Fe–O bond covalency,thereby promoting oxygen vacancy formation and facilitating the conduction of oxygen ions and protons.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC,Nos.12474274,92161101)the Innovation Project of Jinan Science and Technology Bureau (No.2021GXRC032)the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (No.ZR2024MA091)。
文摘The Jellium closed-shell model,a cornerstone of cluster science,has long guided the design of superatoms by dictating electron-counting rules.However,its reliance on precise control of cluster composition and electron shell occupancy presents significant experimental challenges.Here,we introduce a ligation strategy that circumvents these limitations by demonstrating that the adiabatic electron affinity(AEA) of aluminum-based clusters,whether with filled or partially filled electron shells,can be dramatically enhanced through the attachment of organic Lewis acid ligands.It was evidenced that the AEA of PAl12can be significantly increased by 2.17 e V after the ligation of two ligands,indicating a remarkable improvement in its electron-accepting ability.This approach yields superhalogen species,offering a versatile and practical means to tune the electronic properties of clusters while preserving their superatomic states,independent of shell occupancy.Remarkably,this ligand-induced modulation is not confined to naked clusters but also extends to nano-confined systems,hinting at its broader applicability.Given the indispensable role of ligands in cluster synthesis,this strategy holds promise for advancing the field of condensed-phase superatom synthesis,potentially complementing traditional electron-counting rules in a broader range of applications.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22172086,22105117)the Taishan Scholars Program of Shandong Province(202103064)the Major Basic Research Project of Shandong Province(ZR2021ZD06)。
文摘Lewis acid(LA)and Lewis base(LB)sites on catalyst surfaces play a pivotal role in catalytic reactions.By precisely modulating the type,density,and spatial distribution of these Lewis acid/base sites,catalytic performance indicators such as catalytic activity,selectivity,and stability can be effectively optimized.As a result,they become essential parameters that must be considered in the design and development of high-efficiency catalysts.This study proposes a surface engineering method to accurately control the concentration of surface LA and LB sites in defect-laden In_(2)O_(3-x)(OH)_(y)(denoted as N-n%-IO),establishing three types of LB/LA stoichiometric ratios with different photocatalytic CO_(2)hydrogenation performances.It is demonstrated that the LB-rich system(LB/LA>1)shows suppressed activity.In contrast,the balanced stoichiometric ratio system(LB/LA=1)attains an optimal methanol yield(179.79μmol g^(-1)h^(-1))and selectivity(43.67%),while the LA-rich system(LB/LA<1)exhibits the best CO production rate(1913.76μmol g^(-1)h^(-1))and selectivity(94.96%).Systematic experiments disclose that the balanced LB/LA system with adjacent surface frustrated Lewis pairs(SFLPs)can effectively facilitate the adsorption/activation of reactants,stabilize intermediates,and regulate the dynamic behavior of photo-generated carriers.However,the imbalanced LB/LA systems either lack necessary active sites or can only follow an oxygen vacancy-mediated pathway during photocatalytic CO_(2)hydrogenation.This work offers a comprehensive understanding of the crucial functions of surface Lewis acid/base sites in the product distribution of solar-driven CO_(2)reduction.
文摘Various methods have been developed to measure the strength of a Lewis acid.A major challenge for these measurements lies in the complexity that arises from variable solvent interactions and perturbations of Lewis acids as their reaction environment changes.Herein,we investigate the impact of solvent effects on Lewis acids for the first time as measured by the fluorescent Lewis adduct(FLA)method.The binding of a Lewis acid in various solvents reveals a measurable dichotomy between both polarity and donor ability of the solvent.While not strictly separable,we observe that the influence of solvent polarity on Lewis acid unit(LAU)values is distinctly opposite to the influence of donor ability.This dichotomy was confirmed by titration data,illustrating that solvation effects can be appropriately and precisely gauged by the FLA method.
基金This study was financially supported by National Renewable Energy Laboratory Subcontract No.AEV-0-40634-01North Dakota Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research(EPSCoR).
文摘The dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass is a well understood process that significantly enhances the yield of glucose after enzymatic saccharification.The goal of this research was to perform a systematic study to evaluate the yield of fermentable sugars during dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment that is co-catalyzed with the transition metal Lewis acid salts:AlCl_(3),FeCl_(2),FeCl_(3),and La(OTf)_(3).All Lewis acids apart from FeCl_(2)reduced the presence of xylo-oligomers by a large margin when compared to the non-co-catalyzed control sample pretreatments.The presence of these xylo-oligomers acts as inhibitors during enzymatic saccaharification step.The Lewis acids AlCl_(3),FeCl_(3),and La(OTf)_(3)were also able to marginally increase the overall enzymatic digestibility specifically for corn stover pretreated at 160℃with 10 mM of Lewis acids.The hard Lewis acid such as AlCl3 increased the formation inhibitory products such as furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF).There was good correlation between reduction of xylo-oligomers and increased concentration furfural with increase in Lewis acid hardness.
文摘The radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate(MMA)was carried out in the presence of combined Lewis acids of the AlCl3-FeCl2 system.Compared with the polymerization produced in the presence of single Lewis acids,AlCl3 or FeCl2,the MMA polymerization in the presence of AlCl3-FeCl2 composite in CHCl3 or 1-butanol produced a polymer with a higher isotacticity and in toluene produced a polymer with a much higher isotacticity(mm=50%).The molecular weight and polydispersity of PMMA in the presence of Lewis acids were similar with those in the absence of Lewis acids,although Lewis acids decelerate the polymerization of MMA.The effects of the Lewis acids were greater in a solvent with a lower polarity.A possible stereocontrol mechanism of the polymerization was proposed.The Lewis acid composite of AlCl3-FeCl2 readily formed a complex with growing species.These complexes possessed apparent bulkiness that changes the direction of monomer addition to the growing radical center.
基金We thank Northwestern University and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences(Nos.R01 GM131431 and R35 GM136440)for support of this work.
文摘Recent advances in photocatalysis have enabled radical methods with complementary chemoselectivity to established two electron bond forming approaches.While this radical strategy has previously been limited to substrates with favorable redox potentials,Brønsted/Lewis acid activation has emerged as a means of facilitating otherwise difficult reductions.We report herein our investigations into the Lewis acid-promoted redox activation ofβ-ketocarbonyls in a model photocatalytic radical alkylation reaction.Rapid evaluation of substrates and reactions conditions was achieved by high throughput experimentation using 96-well plate photoreactors.
基金Fundamental Research Foundation of CAF (CAFYBB2022QB001)National Nature Science Foundation of China for Excellent Young Scientists Fund (32222058)。
文摘The high-efficiency conversion of biomass resources to biofuels has attracted widespread attention, and the active sites and synergistic effect of catalysts significantly impact their surface arrangement and electronic structure. Here, a nickel-based transition metal carbide catalyst(Ni/TMC) with high Lewis acidity was prepared by self-assembly of transition metal carbide(TMC) and nickel, which exhibited excellent performance on synergistic hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF) into liquid biofuel 2,5-dimethylfuran(DMF).Notably, Ni/WC with the highest Lewis acidity(4728.3 μmol g^(-1)) can achieve 100% conversion of HMF to 97.6% yield of DMF, with a turnover frequency of up to 46.5 h^(-1). The characterization results demonstrate that the rich Lewis acid sites yielded by the synergistic effect between Ni species and TMC are beneficial for the C=O hydrogenation and C–O cleavage, thereby accelerating the process of hydrodeoxygenation(HDO). Besides, a kinetic model for the HDO of HMF to DMF process has been established based on the experimental results, which elucidated a significant correlation between the measured and the predicted data(R^(2)> 0.97). Corresponding to the adsorption configuration of Ni/WC and substrate determined by in-situ FTIR characterization, this study provides a novel insight into the selective conversion of HMF process for functional biofuel and bio-chemicals.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52201274)the Project of Education Department of Shanxi Province(No.22JK0419).
文摘High-capacity LiBH_(4)is a promising solid hydrogen storage material.However,the large electron cloud density between the B-H bonds in LiBH_(4)induces high dehydrogenation temperatures and sluggish dehydrogenation kinetics.To solve the above problems,it is proposed to enhance the hydrogen storage properties of LiBH_(4)through the synergistic effect of Brønsted and Lewis acid in Hβzeolite.Composite hydrogen storage systems with different mass ratios were prepared by simple ball-milling.At a LiBH_(4)-to-Hβmass ratio of 6:4,the 6LiBH_(4)-4Hβsystem released hydrogen at 190℃and achieved a hydrogen release capacity of 7.0 wt%H_(2)upon heating to 400℃.More importantly,the hydrogen release capacity of the system reached 6.02 wt%at 350℃under isothermal conditions after 100 min and 7.2 wt%at 400℃under isothermal conditions after 80 min,whereas the pristine LiBH_(4)only achieved 2.2 wt%.The improvement in hydrogen storage performance of the system was mainly attributed to two factors:(i)Lewis acid sites with acceptable electrons in the Hβweaken the electron density of B-H bonds in LiBH_(4),and(ii)the H+proton from the Brønsted acid sites and H−of LiBH_(4)undergo a H^(+)+H^(−)=H_(2)reaction.Theoretical calculations revealed that the Lewis and Brønsted acid sites in the Hβzeolite are conducive to the weakening of B-H bonds and that storage charge transfer occurs near the Lewis acid sites.The present work provides new insights into improving the hydrogen storage performance of LiBH_(4)by weakening the B-H bonds in the LiBH_(4).
基金financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52372173,52072034)。
文摘Direct electrolysis of seawater offers a transformative technology for sustainable hydrogen production,circumventing the constraint of freshwater scarcity.However,the serious electrode corrosion and competitive chloride oxidation reactions make oxygen evolution reaction(OER)in seawater extremely challenging.Herein,the low-cost and scalable CoFe layered double hydroxides with Cl^(-)intercalation and decorated with Ce(OH)_(3)(named as CoFe-Cl^(-)/Ce(OH)_(3))catalyst is synthesized via rapid electrodeposition under ambient conditions,which is quickly reconstructed into a CeO_(2)decorated and Cl^(-)intercalated CoFeOOH(CoFeOOH-Cl^(-)/CeO_(2))during OER.Theoretical investigation reveals that Cl^(-)intercalation weakens the adsorption ability of Cl^(-)on Co/Fe atoms and hinders unfavorable coupling with chloride,thereby preventing the chlorine corrosion process and enhancing catalytic stability and activity.The CeO_(2)with hard Lewis acidity preferentially binds to OH-with harder Lewis base to ensure the OH-rich microenvironment around catalyst even under high current operating conditions,thus further enhancing stability and improving OER activity.The functionalized CoFe-Cl^(-)/Ce(OH)_(3)delivers 1000 mA cm^(-2)current density at only 329 mV overpotential with excellent stability for 1000 h under alkaline seawater.Electrochemical experiments elucidate the OER catalytic mechanism in which CeO_(2)serves as a co-catalyst for enriching OH-and CoFeOOH-Cl^(-)is the active species.Our work is a substantial step towards achieving massive and sustainable production of hydrogen fuel from immense seawater.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.42488101 and 42222208)the Key R&D Program of Shandong Province,China(Grant No.2024CXPT076)the Deep Earth National Science and Technology Major Project(Grant No.2024ZD1001002).
文摘Clay minerals play a crucial role in catalyzing kerogen to form hydrocarbons,significantly influencing petroleum system evolution.Montmorillonite(MT)dehydrates upon heating;however,the catalytic mechanisms governing the thermal decomposition of organic matter at different dehydration levels remain unclear.Additionally,the mechanism by which external water suppresses MT’s catalytic efficiency remains debated.To resolve this issue,this study conducted pyrolysis simulation experiments(340℃,10 days)with various combinations of octadecanoic acid(OA),water,hydrochloric acid(HCl)solution,MT,dehydrated-MT,and illite.We integrated mineral/organic transformation analyses(XRD/FTIR/SSNMR/SEM),temperature-dependent characterization of solid acid sites(NH 3-TPD/FTIR),and quantitative product measurements(GC/GC-MS)to elucidate how clay-bound water and external water differentially regulate organic-matter cracking pathways.The results suggest that clay-bound water controls reaction pathways by tuning both the type(Brønsted vs.Lewis)and density of solid acid sites.External water inhibits catalytic efficiency by reducing direct contact between organic matter and solid acid sites.Compared with untreated MT,150°C-dehydrated MT-OA system exhibited strong interlayer water polarization,which increased Brønsted acid site density and enhanced the carbonium-ion mechanism,thereby promoting isoalkane production.In contrast,250℃-dehydrated MT-OA system,where interlayer water was nearly eliminated,had fewer Brønsted acid sites but greater exposure of Lewis acid sites,facilitating decarboxylation and increasing CO_(2) production.In hydrous systems,the addition of HCl solution did not enhance the carbonium-ion mechanism compared to the hydrous system with only water,indicating that only protons bound to solid acid sites,rather than liquid H+in water,can trigger the carbonium-ion reaction.This shows that the catalysis of organic-matter cracking by clay minerals such as MT is fundamentally an interfacial chemical process that requires direct mineral-organic contact;the presence of external water reduces catalytic efficiency primarily by physically separating OA from MT and hindering that contact.This study elucidates the controlling mechanisms of MT-catalyzed thermal cracking under different water conditions and deepens our understanding of hydrocarbon-generation pathways during kerogen maturation in sedimentary basins.
文摘The azides were reduced to the corresponding amines by two new metal/Lewis acid systems in water or in aqueous EtOH in yields ranging from 80%-95%. The reaction rates were faster in water than in aqueous EtOH in most cases. All 16 azides with different functional groups were well reduced to the corresponding amines in excellent yields and reaction rates.
基金the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52172110,52472231,52311530113)Shanghai"Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan"intergovernmental international science and technology cooperation project(23520710600)+1 种基金Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(22DZ1205600)the Central Guidance on Science and Technology Development Fund of Zhejiang Province(2024ZY01011)。
文摘Investigating structural and hydroxyl group effects in electrooxidation of alcohols to value-added products by solid-acid electrocatalysts is essential for upgrading biomass alcohols.Herein,we report efficient electrocatalytic oxidations of saturated alcohols(C_(1)-C_(6))to selectively form formate using Ni Co hydroxide(Ni Co-OH)derived Ni Co_(2)O_(4)solid-acid electrocatalysts with balanced Lewis acid(LASs)and Brønsted acid sites(BASs).Thermal treatment transforms BASs-rich(89.6%)Ni Co-OH into Ni Co_(2)O_(4)with nearly equal distribution of LASs(53.1%)and BASs(46.9%)which synergistically promote adsorption and activation of OH-and alcohol molecules for enhanced oxidation activity.In contrast,BASs-enriched Ni Co-OH facilitates formation of higher valence metal sites,beneficial for water oxidation.The combined experimental studies and theoretical calculation imply the oxidation ability of C1-C6alcohols increases as increased number of hydroxyl groups and decreased HOMO-LUMO gaps:methanol(C_(1))<ethylene glycol(C_(2))<glycerol(C3)<meso-erythritol(C4)<xylitol(C5)<sorbitol(C6),while the formate selectivity shows the opposite trend from 100 to 80%.This study unveils synergistic roles of LASs and BASs,as well as hydroxyl group effect in electro-upgrading of alcohols using solid-acid electrocatalysts.
基金supported by the Highstar Corporation HSD20210118Taihu Electric Corporation 0001。
文摘Since the discovery in 2011,MXenes have become the rising star in the field of two-dimensional materials.Benefiting from the metallic-level conductivity,large and adjustable gallery spacing,low ion diffusion barrier,rich surface chemistry,superior mechanical strength,MXenes exhibit great application prospects in energy storage and conversion,sensors,optoelectronics,electromagnetic interference shielding and biomedicine.Nevertheless,two issues seriously deteriorate the further development of MXenes.One is the high experimental risk of common preparation methods such as HF etching,and the other is the difficulty in obtaining MXenes with controllable surface groups.Recently,Lewis acidic etching,as a brand-new preparation strategy for MXenes,has attracted intensive attention due to its high safety and the ability to endow MXenes with uniform terminations.However,a comprehensive review of Lewis acidic etching method has not been reported yet.Herein,we first introduce the Lewis acidic etching from the following four aspects:etching mechanism,terminations regulation,in-situ formed metals and delamination of multi-layered MXenes.Further,the applications of MXenes and MXene-based hybrids obtained by Lewis acidic etching route in energy storage and conversion,sensors and microwave absorption are carefully summarized.Finally,some challenges and opportunities of Lewis acidic etching strategy are also presented.
基金financial support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 21263016, 21363015, 51662029, 21863006)the Youth Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province (Grant No. 20192BAB216001)the Key Laboratory of Jiangxi Province for Environment and Energy Catalysis (20181BCD40004)。
文摘Carbon materials have shown remarkable usefulness in facilitating the performance of insulating sulfur cathode for lithium–sulfur batteries owing to their excellent conductivity and porous structure. However,the anxiety is the poor affinity toward polar polysulfides due to the intrinsic nonpolar surface of carbon.Herein, we report a direct pyrolysis of the mixture urea and boric acid to synthesize B/N–codoped hierarchically porous carbon nanosheets(B–N–CSs) as efficient sulfur host for lithium–sulfur battery. The graphene–like B–N–CSs provides high specific surface area and porous structure with abundant micropores(1.1 nm) and low–range mesopores(2.3 nm), thereby constraining the sulfur active materials within the pores. More importantly, the codoped B/N elements can further enhance the polysulfide confinement through strong Li–N and B–S interaction based on the Lewis acid–base theory. These structural superiorities significantly suppress the shuttle effect by both physical confinement and chemical interaction, and promote the redox kinetics of polysulfide conversion. When evaluated as the cathode host, the S/B–N–CSs composite displays the excellent performance with a high reversible capacity up to 772 m A h g–1 at 0.5 C and a low fading rate of ^0.09% per cycle averaged upon 500 cycles. In particular, remarkable stability with a high capacity retention of 87.1% can be realized when augmenting the sulfur loading in the cathode up to 4.6 mg cm^(-2).
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2016YFE0112800)the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (No. 690142)+1 种基金the project Agro Cycle (Sustainable techno-economic solutions for the agricultural value chain)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31671572)
文摘An experimental investigation was conducted to understand the roles of the Br？nsted acid H2SO4 and Lewis acid Al2（SO4）3 in methyl levulinate（ML） production from biomass carbohydrates, including glucose,fructose and cellulose. The product distributions with different catalysts revealed that the Lewis acid was responsible for the isomerization of methyl glucoside（MG）, producing a significant amount of the subsequent product 5-methoxymethylfurfural（MMF）, while the Br？nsted acid facilitated the production of ML from MMF. Al2（SO4）3 was efficient for monosaccharide conversion but not for cellulose. Using ball-milled cellulose with Al2（SO4）3 resulted in a desired ML yield within a reasonable reaction time. The significant catalysis performances of two types of acids will guide the design of efficient catalytic processes for the selective conversion of biomass into levulinate esters.
基金the grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China （Key Program 20533010）.
文摘Novel Lewis acidic ionic liquids containing thionyl cations and chloroaluminate anions were obtained by one-pot synthesis for the first time. Their acidities were determined by acetonitrile probe on IR spectrography. The ionic liquids were used as catalyst for Friedel-Crafts alkylation of benzene and 1-dodecene. The turnovers of l-dodecene were higher than 99%. Monoalkylbenzene selectivity was 98%, while the 2-substituent product selectivity was 45%.
文摘The self-aldol condensation of aldehydes was investigated with rare-earth cations stabilized by[Si]Beta zeolites in parallel with bulk rare-earth metal oxides.Good catalytic performance was achieved with all Lewis acidic rare-earth cations stabilized by zeolites and yttrium appeared to be the best metal choice.According to the results of several complementary techniques,i.e.,temperature-programmed surface reactions,in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy,ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy,the reaction pathway and mechanism of the aldehyde self-aldol condensation over Y/Beta catalyst were studied in more detail.Density functional theory calculations revealed that aldol dehydration was the rate-limiting step.The hydroxyl group at the open yttrium site played an important role in stabilizing the transition state of the aldol dimer reducing the energy barrier for its hydration.Lewis acidic Y(OSi)(OH)2 stabilized by zeolites in open configurations were identified as the preferred active sites for the self-aldol condensation of aldehydes.
