Synthesis of Supported RhMo and PtMo Bimetallic Catalysts by Controlled Surface Reactions

Abstract We previously described a synthesis method to prepare bimetallic catalysts with narrow nanoparticle size and composition distributions by means of controlled surface reactions (CSR) between a reduced supported metal nanoparticle and an organometallic precursor of an oxophilic promoter metal. Herein, we report a comparison of such catalysts with those prepared by traditional incipient wetness impregnation. STEM/EDS analysis indicates that catalysts prepared by CSR exhibit more effective interaction of metals, thereby minimizing the undesirable formation of component‐rich nanoparticles and/or monometallic domains. Reaction kinetics studies using these bimetallic catalysts reveal that optimal conversion rates in a selective CO hydrogenolysis reaction (i.e., hydrogenolysis of 2‐(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydropyran to 1,6‐hexanediol) could be achieved using a lower amount of the oxophilic promoter metal for the catalysts prepared by the CSR approach, as compared to their impregnated counterparts.