A facile route to encapsulate ultrasmall Ni clusters within the pore channels of AlPO-5

A simple one-step method to encapsulate Ni (II) into the pore channels of AlPO-5 molecule sieve was developed by using nickel-amine complexes as templating agent for synthesis of Ni(deta)2-AlPO-5. The Ni (II) occluded in the pores can be directly reduced by reducing gases in situ generated from the decomposition of nickel-amine complexes in AlPO-5 during heat treatment. The resulted catalyst has ultra-small Ni clusters highly dispersed into the pore channels, showing a high selectivity for 1,2-propanediol in the hydrogenolysis of glycerol.