Solid surface frustrated Lewis pair constructed on layered AlOOH for hydrogenation reaction

Designing heterogeneous solid surface frustrated Lewis pair (ssFLP) catalyst for hydrogenation is a new challenge in catalysis and no research has been reported on the construction of ssFLP on boehmite (AlOOH) surfaces up to now as far as we know. Herein, AlOOH with a layer structure is prepared and it is found that the Lewis basic OHv site (one H removed from OH) and an adjacent Lewis acidic unsaturated Al site (Al3+unsatur.) proximal to a surface OHv (OH vacancy) on AlOOH layers could form the ssFLP. The layered structure of AlOOH and its abundant OH defects over the surface result in a high concentration of OHv/Al3+unsatur. FLPs, which are conducive to highly efficient hydrogen activation for hydrogenation of olefins and alkynes with low H-H bond dissociates activation energy of 0.16 eV under mild conditions (T = 80°C and P(H2) = 2.0 MPa). This work develops a new kind of hydrogenation catalyst and provides a new perspective for creating solid surface FLP.