Oxide Catalysis and Selective Oxidation Mechanisms

Metal oxides serve as versatile catalysts for a wide range of selective oxidation reactions, combining robust thermal stability with tunable redox properties. Central to these processes is the ability of surface oxygen species to engage in substrate activation, often via a Mars–van Krevelen cycle in which lattice oxygen oxidises organic feedstocks and is subsequently replenished by gaseous O₂. Advances in operando and in situ spectroscopies have revealed the dynamic interplay between different oxidation states of metal centres and the support lattice, highlighting how promoters such as ceria or titania can modulate electron transfer pathways and oxygen mobility. This mechanistic understanding underpins the design of catalysts for oxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes, selective oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes or acids, and the transformation of volatile organic compounds to value-added chemicals. Emerging strategies focus on engineering active site ensembles at the atomic scale and harnessing CO₂ as a mild oxidant, thereby aligning catalyst development with sustainable chemical manufacturing and emissions mitigation.

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Oxide Catalysis and Selective Oxidation Mechanisms publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in oxide catalysis and selective oxidation mechanisms across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Oxide catalyst: A solid material comprising metal–oxygen bonds that facilitates redox reactions without being consumed.

Selective oxidation: The controlled partial oxidation of organic substrates to specific oxygenated products, such as aldehydes or acids.

Mars–van Krevelen mechanism: A catalytic cycle where lattice oxygen from the catalyst oxidises the substrate and is replenished by gas-phase O₂.

Operando spectroscopy: Analytical techniques carried out under actual reaction conditions to monitor catalyst structural and electronic changes in real time.

Oxygen spill-over: Migration of activated oxygen species from a metal oxide support to an adjacent active site, enhancing redox turnover.

References

1. Unraveling the mechanism of the CO 2 -assisted oxidative dehydrogenation of propane over VO x /CeO 2 : an operando spectroscopic study. RSC Sustainability (2024).
2. Investigation of the CO2 Activation and Regeneration of Reduced VOx/CeO2 Catalysts Using Multiple In Situ Spectroscopies. ChemCatChem (2024).
3. Redox Dynamics of Active VO x Sites Promoted by TiO x during Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Ethanol Detected by Operando Quick XAS. JACS Au (2022).