Electrified microheterogeneous catalysis in low ionic strength media

Abstract

The ability to drive catalytic processes when dc voltages are applied to low ionic strength dispersions has been demonstrated for the selective partial oxidation of propene at 0 °C in an aqueous dispersion of Pd^II–Cu^II supported on Y zeolite where the primary partial oxidation product can be either acetone or propylene oxide depending on the nature of the dispersed solid; in the absence of the applied electrifying force no product forms and in the absence of the molecular catalyst no selective oxidation occurs.