One-Step High-Temperature-Synthesized Single-Atom Platinum Catalyst for Efficient Selective Hydrogenation

Abstract

Although single-atom catalysts significantly improve the atom utilization efficiency, the multistep preparation procedures are complicated and difficult to control. Herein, we demonstrate that one-step in situ synthesis of the single-atom Pt anchored in single-crystal MoC (Pt1/MoC) by using facile and controllable arc-discharge strategy under extreme conditions. The high temperature (up to 4000°C) provides the sufficient energy for atom dispersion and overall stability by forming thermodynamically favourable metal-support interactions. The high-temperature-stabilized Pt1/MoC exhibits outstanding performance and excellent thermal stability as durable catalyst for selective quinoline hydrogenation. The initial turnover frequency of 3710 h-1 is greater than those of previously reported samples by an order of magnitude under 2 MPa H2 at 100°C. The catalyst also shows broad scope activity toward hydrogenation containing unsaturated groups of C=C, C=N, and C=O. The facile, one-step, and fast arc-discharge method provides an effective avenue for single-atom catalyst fabrication that is conventionally challenging.