Oxidation Catalysis on YBa2Cu3O6 + x

Mild oxidation catalysts are used to product a wide range industrial chemicals from hydrocarbons, whereas deep oxidation catalysts yield CO2 and are becoming important in the cleaning of emissions from combustion of carbonaceous fuels. Here we report on a catalyst1 that facilitates both mild and deep oxidation of toluene in the presence of molecular oxygen and ammonia. At low partial pressures of O2a YBa2Cu3O6+x catalyst is very active in the formation of benzonitrile, but at higher O2 partial pressures it preferentially catalyses formation of CO2. This sharp transition in product selectivity is reversible and occurs at a defined partial pressure of O2. At transition the bulk compostition of the catalyst is close to YBa2Cu3O6 (x≈0). Increasing the content of lattice oxygen (x > 0) makes the catalyst selective for CO2 formatio