PdCu Single Atom Alloys for the Selective Oxidation of Methanol to Methyl Formate at Low Temperatures

The selective catalytic oxidation of methanol to methyl formate (MF) has been considered as an attractive route to produce MF, an important precursor in the chemical industry. Although supported Pd nanoparticles are active for the selective oxidation of methanol to MF, the relatively low MF selectivity and yield remains an unsolved issue. Herein, we show that adding a small amount of Pd into Cu forming PdCu single atom alloy (SAA) catalysts can catalyze the oxidation of methanol to MF selectively at low temperatures, with a high catalyst stability. The atomic dispersion of Pd atoms in the Cu matrix was confirmed by various in-situ characterization techniques. The activity and selectivity of PdCu SAA catalysts were compared to monometallic Cu and Pd catalysts, in a flow reactor at similar conditions. This work may guide the design of new SAA based catalysts for selective oxidation reactions.