Metathesis of alkanes

An alternative to elucidating the active sites on a surface is to synthesize them. For example, a new catalyst for metathesis of alkanes. 

Vidal V, Theolier A, Thivolle-Cazat and Basset J M 1997 Metathesis of alkanes catalyzed by silica-supported transition metal hydrides Soienoe 276 99-102... 

Maury O, Lefort L, Vidal V, Thivolle-Cazat J, Basset J-M (1999) Metathesis of alkanes Evidence for degenerate metathesis of ethane over a silica-supported tantalum hydride prepared by surface organometallic chemistry. Angew Chem Int Ed 38 1952... 

In addition, the (=Si-0)2Tani-H center catalyzed the metathesis of alkanes, an unprecedented process affording higher and lower homologs. For example, in the metathesis of propane to ethane and butanes, formation of four-centered intermediates was postulated (Scheme 51).708 In the first step, the C—11 bond is activated to yield (=Si-0)2Ta I-Prn and (=Si-0)2Tam-Pr ... 

Third, besides hydrogenolysis properties, the silica-supported tantalum hydride catalyzes the metathesis of alkanes, which transforms a given alkane into its higher and lower homolog (Scheme 36(c)). This reaction... 

Trifunctional (conversion of ethylene to propylene, metathesis of alkanes, cycloalkanes, etc.)... 

The complexes [(SiO)xTa(=CH -Bu)(CH2t-Bu)3.x] (x = 1 or 2) catalyze the metathesis of alkanes into a mixture of their higher and lower homologs at 150°C (as does the hydride complex [(SiO)xTa-H]). For instance, two ethane molecules are metathesized into a methane and a propane molecule, and the reverse is also true. ... 

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