Elucidating the mechanism of heterogeneous Wacker oxidation over response from Pd speciation (Figure 1) demonstrating for the first time that oxygen is activated Pd-Cu-exchanged zeolite Y via transient multi-edge XAS on copper in the heterogeneous system, which is similar to the homogeneous system. Increasing the O partial pressure led to a quick reoxidation of Cu(I) with a concomitant rapid 2 increase in CO formation while that of acetaldehyde proceeded more slowly. These results Jerick Imbao1,2, Jeroen van Bokhoven1,2*, Adam Clark1 and Maarten Nachtegaal1* 2 indicate that copper has more than one role as it does not only act as a co-catalyst for Pd(0) 1Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI (Switzerland) regeneration, but is also involved in the formation of CO byproduct. Without detecting the 2ETH Zurich, Zurich (Switzerland) 2 transient presence of Cu(0) and Pd(I), our results suggest that two one-electron transfers from *
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[email protected] two Cu(II) ions to reoxidize Pd(0) to Pd(II) is at work in this heterogeneous Wacker catalyst. Introduction Low O (half order) High O (zero order) The homogeneous ethylene oxidation, called the Wacker process, is one of the most 1.00 2 1.00 2 efficient synthetic methods for manufacturing aldehydes. This process suffers from the difficulty in the separation of the products from the catalyst and from the high corrosivity and 0.75 0.75 formation of chlorinated byproducts associated with the excess use of HCl [1]. To overcome Cu(II) Cu(II) these problems many studies have been undertaken to design chloride-free heterogeneous 0.50 0.50 Cu(I) Cu(I) Wacker catalyst systems.