Bimetallic catalysts and their relevance to the hydrogen economy

The need to develop powerful new catalysts capable of effecting reductions with molecular hydrogen under mild conditions is a pressing one, particularly with the looming importance of the hydrogen economy. We show that nanoparticle (1-1.5-nm diameter) supported bimetallic catalysts, such as Ru-Pd, Ru-Pt, and Ru-Sn, prepared by decarbonylation without skeletal disintegration of precursor, mixed-metal carbonylates, exhibit high performances in a number of reactions likely to be of considerable future industrial relevance. We also show that certain types of anchored, chiral organometallic moieties, constrained within the cavities of mesoporous silica, function as good enantioselective hydrogenation catalysts for the generation of industrially important organic products such as adipic acid and cyclohexane carboxylic acid.