The role of intermediate CoxMn1−xO (x = 0.6–0.85) nanocrystals in the formation of active species for the direct production of lower olefins from syngas

Cobalt–manganese (CoMn) oxides obtained through a one-pot synthesis can be controllably reduced to Co_xMn_1−xO nanocrystals for the direct production of C2–C4 olefins with high selectivity (50.9 mol%) from syngas at high CO conversion (92.4%), higher than predicted by the Anderson–Schulz–Flory distribution.