Elucidating the Roles of Electric Fields in Catalysis: A Perspective

Abstract

This Perspective illustrates how the presence of internal and external electric fields can affect catalytic activity and selectivity, with a focus on heterogeneous catalysts. Specifically, experimental investigations of the electric field influence on catalyst selectivity in pulsed field mass desorption microscopes, scanning tunneling microscopes, probe–bed–probe reactors, continuous-circuit reactors, and capacitor reactors are described. Through these examples, we show how the electric field, whether externally applied or intrinsically present, can affect the behavior of a wide number of materials relevant to catalysis. We review some of the theoretical methods that have been used to elucidate the influence of external electric fields on catalytic reactions, as well as the application of such methods to selective methane activation. In doing so, we illustrate the breadth of possibilities in field-assisted catalysis.

Hydrogen bonding steers the product selectivity of electrocatalytic CO reduction

“…The obtained interfacial fields are on the order of 0.1 V·Å −1 . The electrostatic contribution to the CO-adsorption energy as a function of the local field is (46,113)…”

A greener catalyst for hydroboration of imines—external electric field modify the reaction mechanism

“…Up to now, some endeavors had been done to develop a new methodology in accordance with green chemistry principles . An emerging greener catalyst is coming into one's sight, which is the external electric field (EEF), as a smart reagent to catalyze reactions had been reported by theory and experiment . Especially, the experiment of EEF by Aragonés et al paved the way for the development of EEF in catalyzing chemistry reactions.…”

“…[52][53][54][55][56] An emerging greener catalyst is coming into one's sight, which is the external electric field (EEF), as a smart reagent to catalyze reactions had been reported by theory and experiment. [57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74] Especially, the experiment [66] of EEF by Aragonés et al paved the way for the development of EEF in catalyzing chemistry reactions. Recently, our group firstly tried to study the effect of EEF on hydroboration, [75,76] and the results demonstrated that EEF could be used in the hydroboration of C C and C N compounds.…”

External Electric Field—Phenyl interaction boosts hydrosilylation of substituted alkynes to α‐vinylsilane

“…With the continuous development of various catalysts on chemical reactions, the field of oriented external electric field (EEF) has led to a considerable progress . This is initially driven by the harness of electric field to achieve the reaction selectivity or obtain a desired mechanism .…”

“…With the continuous development of various catalysts on chemical reactions, the field of oriented external electric field (EEF) has led to a considerable progress. [1][2][3][4][5] This is initially driven by the harness of electric field to achieve the reaction selectivity or obtain a desired mechanism. [6][7][8][9] To this extent, the oriented EEF was developed and used in theoretical studies more and more on the bond activations, [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] such as the halogen bond [10] and σ-bonds, [11,12] and chemical reactions, [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31] such as the substitution reactions, [19] Menshutkin reaction, [20] Diels-Alder reaction, [21,22] hydroboration reaction, [23][24][25][26] and Azide-alkyne reactions.…”