Single‐Site Pd Coupling with Jahn–Teller Active Cu as Pair Sites for Simultaneous Activation of Alkyne and Hydrogen Toward Efficient Semihydrogenation

J Jingyun Jiang (Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry‐Education Platform for Energy Storage Tianjin University Tianjin 300072 China) M Mengxian Yu (Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry‐Education Platform for Energy Storage Tianjin University Tianjin 300072 China) C Chengxiang Shi (Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry-Education Platform for Energy Storage) Z Zhen‐Feng Huang (Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry‐Education Platform for Energy Storage Tianjin University Tianjin 300072 China) X Xiangwen Zhang (Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry-Education Platform for Energy Storage) L Lun Pan (Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry-Education Platform for Energy Storage) R Ruijie Gao (Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry-Education Platform for Energy Storage) J Jinlong Gong (School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, Tianjin University) J Ji‐Jun Zou (Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry‐Education Platform for Energy Storage Tianjin University Tianjin 300072 China)

Abstract

Abstract Single‐site pairs are promising in achieving high selectivity and activity in alkyne semihydrogenation, but its applicability is limited by the insufficient activity because pair sites cannot adsorb and activate alkyne. Here, we couple single‐site Pd with Jahn–Teller active Cu atoms of Cu‐doped Fe 2 O 3 to construct a highly active and stable single‐site Pd‐Cu pairs. The Jahn–Teller active Cu possesses elongated axial orbitals, and the strong electronic coupling between Pd and Cu further contributes to their unoccupied axial d orbitals, which helps Pd‐Cu pair to cooperatively activate C 2 H 2 molecule, unlike ordinary single‐site pairs where only H 2 is activated. As a result, this catalyst exhibits state‐of‐the‐art performance, with > 99.99% conversion and 95.5% selectivity as well as excellent stability with negligible performance decay after 300‐h test in purifying acetylene of ethylene stream. Both in situ spectra and theoretical results indicate two H addition steps occur on Pd and Cu sites in sequence. This work opens an avenue for constructing highly efficient single‐site pairs for selective hydrogenation and beyond.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 65, Issue 8
Published February 16, 2026
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (9)

J

Jingyun Jiang

Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry‐Education Platform for Energy Storage Tianjin University Tianjin 300072 China

M

Mengxian Yu

Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry‐Education Platform for Energy Storage Tianjin University Tianjin 300072 China

C

Chengxiang Shi

Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry-Education Platform for Energy Storage

Z

Zhen‐Feng Huang

Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry‐Education Platform for Energy Storage Tianjin University Tianjin 300072 China

X

Xiangwen Zhang

Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry-Education Platform for Energy Storage

L

Lun Pan

Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry-Education Platform for Energy Storage

R

Ruijie Gao

Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry-Education Platform for Energy Storage

J

Jinlong Gong

School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, Tianjin University

J

Ji‐Jun Zou

Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Institute of Molecular Plus, National Industry‐Education Platform for Energy Storage Tianjin University Tianjin 300072 China