Atomically dispersed iridium on MgO(111) nanosheets catalyses benzene–ethylene coupling towards styrene

Single-atom catalysis is recognized as a frontier of heterogeneous catalysis for its efficient utilization of metals and the possibility to engender unusual reactivity. Yet, despite the observation of single atoms, understanding their coordination structures and developing structure–property relationships remains challenging due to the structural complexity of support surfaces. Here, using single-crystalline MgO(111) two-dimensional nanosheets and a surface organometallic chemistry method, we describe the formation of highly dispersed Ir(III) sites (isolated at 0.1 wt%, and Ir pairs and trimers at 1 wt%) with well-defined coordination structures. These species display unique catalytic properties in the coupling reaction of benzene and ethylene to form styrene, a reactivity that contrasts with conventional homogeneous and heterogeneous iridium catalysts that yield ethylbenzene. The similar activities for high- and low-loading catalysts suggest that iridium sites, whether isolated or in the form of clusters (for example Ir3), have similar activity, consistent with the involvement of surface dynamics.