Cobalt clusters catalytic reactions involving

It was thought that the formation of inactive cobalt clusters such as Co4(CO)i2, formed by dimerisation of the remaining cobalt carbonyl species after release of the cyclopentenone product, were responsible for the shutdown of the catalytic cycle when dicobalt octacarbonyl was employed.51 Krafft and co-workers were able to show that Co4(CO)12 can actually be exploited as a catalytic species in the PK reaction and were able to obtain excellent yields if cyclohexylamine was introduced as an additive alongside the metal cluster.57,58 The use of metal clusters as catalysts for the reaction has been extended to involve mixed metal clusters.59... 

The selective production of methanol and of ethanol by carbon monoxide hydrogenation involving pyrolysed rhodium carbonyl clusters supported on basic or amphoteric oxides, respectively, has been discussed. The nature of the support clearly plays the major role in influencing the ratio of oxygenated products to hydrocarbon products, whereas the nuclearity and charge of the starting rhodium cluster compound are of minor importance. Ichikawa has now extended this work to a study of (CO 4- Hj) reactions in the presence of alkenes and to reactions over catalysts derived from platinum and iridium clusters. Rhodium, bimetallic Rh-Co, and cobalt carbonyl clusters supported on zinc oxide and other basic oxides are active catalysts for the hydro-formylation of ethene and propene at one atm and 90-180°C. Various rhodium carbonyl cluster precursors have been used catalytic activities at about 160vary in the order Rh4(CO)i2 > Rh6(CO)ig > [Rh7(CO)i6] >... 

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