Surface Rhenium Oxide on Alumina Film: Probing the Structure and Chemical Properties for Olefin Metathesis

Lack of fundamental information about the active sites on commercial heterogeneous olefin metathesis catalysts based on supported metal oxides (Re₂O₇, MoO₃ and WO₃) has hindered further developments of improved catalysts. We address this challenge by investigating surface ReO_x species on planar Al₂O₃ supports to elucidate molecular/electronic-catalytic activity/selectivity relationships.