| Abstract: | The mechanism of heterogeneous catalytic reactions is much more difficult to elucidate than that of homogeneous systems. Despite the facilities provided by physical methods for investigating the surface of solids, obtaining detailed information on the structure of the active component in real heterogeneous catalysts presents difficulties due to the nonuniform chemical composition of the surface species. Some of these surface species are totally inactive in catalysis, and others can catalyze the given chemical reaction by different pathways and according to different mechanisms. This results in a change of selectivity to the desired product and the appearance of intermediates and reaction by-products. Furthermore, the effect of the reaction medium on the catalyst gains importance during a catalytic process when, at high temperature and pressure, one type of surface species is transformed into another, thus changing the mechanism and direction of the catalyzed reaction. |
