Matchmakers for Molecules - How transition metal catalysts aids hydrogenation reactions

by David Degerman

Friday 1 Mar 2024, 16:00 → 17:30 Europe/Stockholm

Albano 3: 6203 - Floor 6 Large Lunch Room (44 seats) (Albano Building 3)

When it comes to love, man and molecule are not that different. Hydrogen and CO are the two people in your class who were a perfect match for each other, but throughout all high school years they never got to the point of dating. In this talk, we explore alternative timelines where they received help from professional matchmakers - the heterogeneous transition metal catalysts - who employ different strategies to send the sparks flying between our lovesick molecules. Furthermore, we use operando x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy as a tool to spy on both the matchmakers and their clients as the action occurs. We will find that this kind of surveillance can teach us valuable lessons about the reaction mechanisms - the molecule’s path to love.