Front Cover: Recent Progress in CO Hydrogenation over Bimetallic Catalysts for Higher Alcohol Synthesis (ChemCatChem 1/2021)
Wasim Ullah Khan, Luqmanulhakim Baharudin, Jungkyu Choi, Alex C.K. Yip
Abstract
The Front Cover highlights the importance of catalytic synergy between two distinct types of supported metals (illustrated by nanoparticles with different colors) in converting carbon monoxide and hydrogen to higher alcohols, including ethanol, propanol, and isobutanol. In their Minireview, W. U. Khan et al. discuss the theoretical and practical implications of CO and H2 chemisorption on the bimetallic catalyst. The synergistic roles of an oxygenation site and a chain-growth reaction site are essential. Particularly, the positioning of the two active metals nearby dictates the selectivity towards higher alcohols. The synthesis of higher alcohols from biomass-derived syngas is a critical process for New Zealand and other countries where biomass resources are abundant. More information can be found in the Minireview by W. U. Khan et al.