Dilute Pd/Au Alloys Replace Au/TiO2 Interface for Selective Oxidation Reactions

The tandem nature of selective alcohol oxidation with in situ-generated oxidants over Au/metal oxide catalysts is demonstrated. Colloidal synthesis is used to show that while Au nanoparticles require an oxide interface to generate the selective oxidant from a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen, dilute Pd/Au alloy nanoparticles are able to generate oxidants even when immobilized on inert carbon supports because of the hydrogen dissociation ability of Pd single atoms in Au. These oxidants may travel through the gas phase to be utilized by a variety of metal oxides to selectively oxidize primary and secondary alcohols to their respective carbonyls.