O. Alexeev et Bc. Gates, IRIDIUM CLUSTERS SUPPORTED ON GAMMA-AL2O3 - STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION AND CATALYSIS OF TOLUENE HYDROGENATION, Journal of catalysis (Print), 176(2), 1998, pp. 310-320
Iridiun clusters were prepared on gamma-Al2O3 that had been calcined a
t 400 degrees C. When supported [Ir-4(CO)(12)], the precursor, was tre
ated in H-2 at various temperatures, it was decarbonylated, with aggre
gation taking place to various degrees to give a family of supported c
lusters and aggregates with average diameters in the range of about 9
to 33 Angstrom, as determined by extended X-ray absorption fine struct
ure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. Similarly, samples were decarbonylated in He
, and the degree of aggregation of the iridium was less than in H-2 un
der comparable conditions. Infrared spectra show that decarbonylation
of the supported [Ir-4(CO)(12)] in the presence of H-2 was not reversi
ble and was accompanied by aggregation of the iridium; infrared spectr
a of CO adsorbed on the decarbonylated samples were characterized by a
band at 2058 cm(-1), typical of terminal CO adsorbed on iridium parti
cles. The gamma-Al2O3-supported iridium clusters and aggregates were u
sed to catalyze toluene hydrogenation at 60 degrees C and 1 atm. Sampl
es with nearly the same Ir-Ir first-shell coordination number (nearly
the same dispersion) were characterized by essentially the same cataly
tic activity, independent of whether the decarbonylation was carried o
ut in He or H-2. The catalytic activity for the structure-insensitive
toluene hydrogenation reaction was found to increase with increasing a
verage cluster or aggregate diameter and to be greater for iridium on
the calcined gamma-Al2O3 than for iridium on uncalcined gamma-Al2O3. (
C) 1998 Academic Press