Catalysis, by gold

The oxidation of CO at low temperatures was the first reaction discovered as an example of the highly active catalysis by gold [1]. Carbon monoxide is a very toxic gas and its concentration in indoor air is regulated to 10-50 ppm depending on the conditions [61]. An important point is that CO is the only gas that cannot be removed from indoor air by gas adsorption with activated carbon. On the other hand, metal oxides or noble metal catalysts can oxidize CO at room temperature. 

Bond, G.C., Louis, C. and Thompson, D.T. (2006) Catalytic Science Series, Vol. 6, Catalysis by Gold (ed. G.J. Hutchings), Imperial College Press, London, UK Hashmi, A.S.K. (2007) Gold-catalyzed organic reactions. Chemical Reviews,... 

Hashmi, A.S.K. (2004) Homogeneous Catalysis by Gold. Gold Bulletin, 37,51-65. 

Bond, G.C. and Thompson, D.T (1999) Catalysis by Gold. Catalysis Reviews-Science and Engineering, 41, 319-388. 

Edward Tiekink and gold complexes in liquid crystals by Pablo Espinet. Homogenous catalysis by gold complexes is not included here since a book dedicated especially to this topic edited by Stephen Hashmi will also appear in 2009 from this publishing house. 

G. C. Bond, D. T. Thompson, Catalysis by Gold, Imperial College Press, London, 2006. 

Grisel R, Weststrate KJ, Gluhoi A, Nieuwenhuys BE. 2002. Catalysis by gold nanoparticles. Gold Bull 35(2) 39-45. 

Catalysis by Gold Recent Advances in Oxidation Reactions... 

The field of catalysis by gold is now well established. Although most effort to date has been focused on the oxidation of CO it is apparent that this research might... 

Since the pioneering finding by Haruta and coworkers tliat finely divided gold nanoparticles are very active for CO oxidation below room temperature, catalysis by gold... 

Figure 3.1 Four important conditions for catalysis by gold (metal-oxide junction, water, OH- and size of the Au particles or tubes). The figure by each circle is the diameter (nm) of the gold particles or tubes. Gold turns out to be catalytically very active, provided that at least two of the four conditions are fulfilled. For example, in CO oxidation at room temperature even unsupported gold is active in the presence of alkaline (OH-) water (H20).

For a detailed discussion, see the only review that covers both heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis by gold Hashmi, A. S. K., Hutchings, G., Angew. Chem. 2006, 118, 8064-8105 Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 7896-7936. 

There is one major feature that appears to be of much greater importance with gold than with other metals its catalytic ability in carbon monoxide oxidation and some other reactions is a steep function of the size of particle responsible. We shall therefore need to examine closely how the properties of gold depend on the size of the assembly of atoms. Fortunately, there is much relevant information to consider and to bear in mind when thinking about catalysis by gold this is surveyed in the following chapter. 

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