Forum for Science, Industry and Business
Sponsored by:     Siemens  n-tv 
Search our Site:

Topic (optional):

 

Home Reports Life Sciences Content

Reverse reactions helps isolate important intermediate

next article
09.09.2003

 


Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have used a new way to isolate and study an important intermediate in the epoxidation of olefins such as ethylene: They run the reaction in reverse. By starting with the final products (epoxides) and placing them on the surface of a model catalyst, the scientists are able to use surface chemistry techniques to "catch" the intermediate. Understanding this intermediate may ultimately help the scientists develop improved or new catalysts for the forward reaction -- a reaction that produces important "building blocks" in the manufacture of larger organic molecules.


In the forward direction, the interaction of the reactants with the surface is either too weak to allow direct study of the mechanism, or the intermediate -- a ring structure on the surface of the silver catalyst -- forms and transforms too quickly for scientists to study. But in reverse, the intermediate stays on the surface longer, so scientists can apply various techniques to try to understand the reaction mechanism.

"If we find a general rule based on our studies with this model catalyst, then we can design a new catalyst, because we know how the reaction occurred on the surface," said Brookhaven chemist Hong Piao, who is working on the project. The general goal is to improve the reactivity and selectivity of the catalyst for producing particular products.

Piao will present a talk on this work during the Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry poster session, "Fundamental Research in Colloid and Surface Chemistry," on Monday, September 8, 2003, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Hilton New York, Rhinelander Room. This work was funded by the Division of Chemical Sciences, Office of Basic Energy Sciences at DOE’s Office of Science.

Karen McNulty Walsh | Source: EurekAlert!
Further information: www.bnl.gov/

next article

More articles from Life Sciences:

nachricht First reconstitution of an epidermis from human embryonic stem cells
23.11.2009 | INSERM (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale)

nachricht Causative gene of a rare disorder discovered by sequencing only protein-coding regions of genome
23.11.2009 | University of Washington

All articles from Life Sciences >>>

B2B Search

Product / Service
Company / Organisation

Latest News

UCSB physicists move 1 step closer to quantum computing

23.11.2009 | Physics and Astronomy

Fat around the middle increases the risk of dementia

23.11.2009 | Studies and Analyses

New discovery about the formation of new brain cells

23.11.2009 | Health and Medicine

VideoLinks

Event News

Multidisciplinary meeting on Urological Cancers aims to benefit cancer patients

20.11.2009 | Event News

'Golden Age' for clinical psychology in Northern Ireland

20.11.2009 | Event News

New Perspectives in Marine Anti-Fouling Research

11.11.2009 | Event News