Selective Cleavage of α-Olefins to Produce Acetylene and Hydrogen

Acetylene production from mixed alpha-olefins emerges as a potentially green and energy-efficient approach with significant scientific value in the selective cleavage of C-C bonds. On the Pd(100) surface, it is experimentally revealed that C2 to C-4 alpha-olefins undergo selective thermal cleavage to form surface acetylene and hydrogen. The high selectivity toward acetylene is attributed to the 4-fold hollow sites which are adept at severing the terminal double bonds in alpha-olefins to produce acetylene. A challenge arises, however, because acetylene tends to stay at the Pd(100) surface. By using the surface alloying methodology with alien Au, the surface Pd d-band center has been successfully shifted away from the Fermi level to release surface-generated acetylene from alpha-olefins as a gaseous product. Our study actually provides a technological strategy to economically produce acetylene and hydrogen from alpha-olefins.