METHANOL FROM SYNTHESIS GAS OVER CLUSTER-DERIVED FEIR MGO CATALYSTS/

Cluster-derived FeIr/MgO catalysts prepared from [Et4N]2[Fe2Ir4(CO)16] and [Et4N]2[Fe2Ir2(CO)12] exhibit high activity in methanol synthesis from CO + H2. The catalyst performance improves significantly upon ra ising the Fe:Ir ratio in the precursor from 2:4 to 2:2; with the latte r sample, at 488-523 K and 6.1 MPa, methanol productivities up to 100 mol/mol(Ir) h are obtained with selectivity around 90%. Preliminary ex tended X-ray absorption fine structure characterization suggests that the formation of active sites upon activation in hydrogen at 623 K, is related to the presence of highly dispersed iridium particles stabili zed on the surface by interfacial iron.