title: Selective modification of the acid-base properties of ceria by supported Au.
abstract: Au supported on CeO(2) prepared by deposition-precipitation with urea leads to a basic catalyst. Au acts in two ways as surface modifier. First, Au selectively interacts with Ce(4+) cations by either blocking access to or reducing Ce(4+) to Ce(3+). Second, the resulting Au atoms (presumably as Au(+) ions) act as soft, weak Lewis acid sites stabilizing carbanion intermediates and enhancing hydride abstraction in the dehydrogenation of alcohols. In consequence, the thus-synthesized basic catalyst catalyzes the dehydrogenation of propan-2-ol to acetone with high efficiency and without notable deactivation. Additionally, the dehydration pathway of propan-2-ol is eliminated, as Au also quantitatively blocks access to strongly acidic Ce(4+) ions or reduces them to Ce(3+).
authors.affiliation: Department Chemie, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85748 Garching, Germany.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: C I Bezen
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Breitkopf
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: El Kolli
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Krafft
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.forename: Johannes A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lercher