Recent Advances in Smart Catalysts

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2020) | Viewed by 10027

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Universita degli Studi di Brescia, 2513 Brescia, Italy
Interests: photocalysts; optical nanoantennas; stimuli-responsive materials; enhanced vibrational spectroscopy

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Guest Editor
Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia, via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Interests: smart materials; heterogeneous catalysis; stimuli-responsive systems; nanomaterials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The development of systems that are able to regulate their catalytic activity in response to external stimuli (i.e., pH, temperature, light, magnetic fields, mechanical stress) from active (“on”) to inactive (“off”) states paves the way to the development of nature-inspired catalytic systems, creating the basis for what can be considered as “smart catalysis”. The integration of stimuli-responsive materials in a new generation of catalysts would allow obtaining systems characterized by unique functional properties, such as adaptability, recyclability, precise spatial and temporal control on the occurrence of the reactions, and dynamic specificity towards particular substrates/targets. Different sectors of catalysis, such as degradation of pollutants, organic and inorganic synthesis, energy conversion, and production of energy vectors from renewable sources, can take full adavantage of these strategies. For those reasons, smart catalysts deserve deeper and more extended investigations. This Special Issue is intended to cover the most recent progresses in the preparation of smart catalysts, with particular emphasis on new synthetic and design-driven approaches that enable to achieve dynamic, stimuli-responsive systems.

Prof. Dr. Ivano Alessandri
Dr. Irene Vassalini
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Switchable catalysis
  • Heterogeneous catalysis
  • Smart materials
  • Stimuli-responsive
  • On-demand catalysis
  • Out-of-equilibrium systems
  • Adaptive catalytic systems

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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9 pages, 1791 KiB  
Article
A Smart Heterogeneous Catalyst for Efficient, Chemo- and Stereoselective Hydrogenation of 3-Hexyn-1-ol
by Stefano Paganelli, Alessio Angi, Nicolò Pajer and Oreste Piccolo
Catalysts 2021, 11(1), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal11010014 - 25 Dec 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2683
Abstract
We examine the easy preparation of mono- and bi-metallic heterogeneous catalysts with low Pd and Cu contents on alumina and provide a detailed study of many reaction parameters in the catalyzed selective semihydrogenation of 3-hexyn-1-ol to (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, a very important fragrance with an [...] Read more.
We examine the easy preparation of mono- and bi-metallic heterogeneous catalysts with low Pd and Cu contents on alumina and provide a detailed study of many reaction parameters in the catalyzed selective semihydrogenation of 3-hexyn-1-ol to (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, a very important fragrance with an herbaceous note. In particular, two different protocols of Pd catalyst preparation, substrate/catalyst molar ratio, the effect of time and temperature, introduction of some additives to the reaction mixture, and the nature of the solvent were investigated. These factors are not independent variables. The results show that it is possible to control the reaction outcome to obtain the target (Z)-alkenol using different experimental conditions. The best result, as an appropriate compromise between conversion and selectivity, may be obtained by working with a very high substrate/catalyst molar ratio (>6000/1), with one type of Pd catalyst, in a short time (about 150 min) at 60 °C. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Smart Catalysts)
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17 pages, 2282 KiB  
Article
Ternary Hydrotalcites in the Multicomponent Synthesis of 4H-Pyrans
by Eliana Nope, Ángel G. Sathicq, José J. Martínez, Hugo A. Rojas, Rafael Luque and Gustavo P. Romanelli
Catalysts 2020, 10(1), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal10010070 - 3 Jan 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3040
Abstract
Lamellar double hydroxides (LDH) with double divalent cations were synthesized by the co-precipitation method and studied in the multicomponent synthesis of 4H-pyrans. The solids obtained were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), N2 adsorption isotherms, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The [...] Read more.
Lamellar double hydroxides (LDH) with double divalent cations were synthesized by the co-precipitation method and studied in the multicomponent synthesis of 4H-pyrans. The solids obtained were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), N2 adsorption isotherms, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The XRD patterns confirmed the formation of LDHs in which the incorporation of Ni2+ or Co2+ improves their crystalline and textural properties. The results of catalytic activity showed that the synthesis of 4H-pyrans is favored in solvent-free conditions with the LDH–Ni catalyst, avoiding calcination processes. In addition, it was found that hydrotalcite with double divalent cations can conduct this reaction through multicomponent synthesis or by the Michael addition reaction, which can be performed by different types of basicity that depend on the composition of another divalent cation in the brucite layer or a calcination process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Smart Catalysts)
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18 pages, 4232 KiB  
Perspective
System Chemistry in Catalysis: Facing the Next Challenges in Production of Energy Vectors and Environmental Remediation
by Ivano Alessandri and Irene Vassalini
Catalysts 2021, 11(1), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal11010064 - 5 Jan 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3028
Abstract
Most of the catalytic processes that assist the production of either renewable energy vectors or degradation of environmental pollutants rely on the interplay among different factors that can be purposely regulated, in order to improve the overall efficiency of reactions. This perspective analyzes [...] Read more.
Most of the catalytic processes that assist the production of either renewable energy vectors or degradation of environmental pollutants rely on the interplay among different factors that can be purposely regulated, in order to improve the overall efficiency of reactions. This perspective analyzes some recent examples of ‘systemic catalysts’, which are based on the modification of the reaction microenvironment and exploitation of concurrent/parasitic reactions or different types of chemical looping, in order to bypass some drawbacks that cannot be easily circumvented by standard approaches. Innovative extensions of those concepts and strategies might inspire new breakthroughs in a variety of key catalytic cycles characterized by high complexity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Smart Catalysts)
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