Geometric and Electronic Effects in Hydrogenation Reactions

Selective hydrogenation has a long history of being an important reaction process for the preparation of high-value chemicals. The geometric and electronic structures of the catalysts largely determine their basic catalytic performance, including activity, selectivity, and stability. However, the complexity of the components and structures of the catalytic active sites poses a significant challenge to the characterization and the sequential performance attribution. On the basis of summarizing the geometric and electronic structure research in this field, this Review will pay special attention to the adsorption and activation modes of reactants, reaction kinetics, identification and classification of structural sensitivity, methods for geometric and electronic regulation, and distinctive concepts for catalyst design, to enlighten the further development of high-efficiency hydrogenation catalysts.