A fundamental understanding of the active sites in working catalysts can guide the rational design of new catalysts with improved performances. Here, regioselective oxidative coupling of toluene to 4,4’-bitolyl is achieved with zeolite-encapsulated Pd catalysts under acid-free conditions, and the active sites are identified to be the subnanometer Pd clusters confined in the channels of Beta zeolite.
- Yunchao Feng
- Hongtao Wang
- Lichen Liu
