Promotional Effects of Au in Pd-Au Catalysts for Vinyl Acetate Synthesis

Silica supported Pd-Au bimetallic catalysts are highly selective for the acetoxylation of ethylene to vinyl acetate (VA). In this study we have used model catalysts consisting of planer surfaces and supported nanoparticles to investigate the promotional effects of Au in Pd-Au bimetallic catalysts. Low energy ion scattering spectroscopy, low energy electron diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, infrared reflection adsorption spectroscopy, and temperature-programmed desorption et al, were used to characterize the model systems. The catalytic performance for acetoxylation of ethylene to VA was examined for these model surfaces. In this paper, we summarize the current understanding of the promotional effects of Au in Pd-Au bimetallic catalysts for VA synthesis. The key results are that Au atoms break contiguous Pd atom ensembles at the surface into isolated Pd monomers. The absence of contiguous Pd sites significantly reduces the formation of combustion by-products and suppresses the poison effects of CO, thus enhancing the VA formation selectivity and activity.