Catalytic Materials by Design

Recent activities of our group in the design of catalytic materials are briefly surveyed. Special attention is given to sol-gel-derived mixed oxide aerogels and organic-inorganic hybrid gels, and to supported noble metals with controlled particle size. Examples discussed embrace: organically modified titania-silica aerogels for the epoxidation of bulky olefins, Ru-containing silica hybrid gels for the synthesis of formic-acid derivatives, and colloid-derived supported gold catalysts with controlled metal particle size