Catalytic Selectivity Determined By Surface Carboxylate Species on CeO2 Catalysts Towards Gas-Phase Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol

Pure CeO₂ processes high catalytic selectivity towards gas-phase aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde, whereas carboxylate-species-covered CeO₂ exhibits distinctly different selectivity towards benzene and CO2, suggesting that O₂ molecules play critical roles in accelerating reaction rates as well as preventing deposition of poisonous surface species.