Proposal: CTS-9816469 PI: Bruce C. Gates Institution: University of California at Davis Title: Novel Supported Metal Cluster Catalysts ABSTRACT The proposal is a new collaboration between Prof. Bruce Gates (U.C. Davis) and Prof. Miguel Valenzuela, Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Mexico, and colleagues Geolar Fetter and Pedro Bosch, of Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, and Brent Handy, of Universidad Autonoma San Luis Potosi. The main objective of the research is to test supported metal cluster catalysts prepared from metal carbonyl precursors. It is expected that small clusters of Ir and Rh will be stabilized on supports such as MoS2, hydrotalcites, and mixed oxides of Al and Mg. The structures will be determined with EXAFS, IR and 13C NMR spectroscopies. The physicochemical properties will be determined with chemisorption, TPD, and calorimetric measurements. The catalytic properties will involve toluene hydrogenation, and 2,2,3,3,-tetramethylbutane hydrogenolysis.
