Bifunctional Mechanisms for C-C Coupling in Aldol Condensation

Conversion of biomass-derived molecules to fuels and feedstocks is desirable, and C-C coupling reactions (such as aldol addition) are necessary for these conversions.  Here mechanistic insights on aldol addition catalysis are presented, based on recent results from aldol condensation of ethanal obtained on oxidized and reduced CeO2(111) and CeO2(100).