Controlled Assembly of Bimetallic Species on Oxide Surfaces

4 Controlled Assembly of Bimetallic Species on Oxide Surfaces 

A related approach to the preparation of highly dispersed supported bimetalhc catalysts involves the reaction of metal complexes with supported metal clusters or particles. The method is based on the idea that by careful choice of the metal complex and control of the reaction parameters it may be possible to cause the metal complex to react selectively with the supported metal but not with the support surface [13]. Because this approximation to the subject is the main focus of this chapter, it is thoroughly developed in the following sections. 

Surface Organometallic Chemistry on Metals (SOMC/M) Approach 

When this type of reaction occurs on the surface of a metal, there is always a formation step of an organometallic fragment anchored to the surface, giving rise to a particular catalytic site where the interaction of the substrate to be reacted will take place. For only the desired reaction (selectivity) to occur, the catalytic site formed should be well defined and have the same composition throughout the catalyst surface. 

In this chapter, SOMC/M will be used to study the reactivity of organometallic complexes with the surface of supported metals. In 1984, Travers [31] and Margit-falvi [32] simultaneously described this application of SOMC for the preparation of bimetallic catalysts. 

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