Gold has traditionally been regarded as inactive as a catalytic metal. However, the advent of nanoparticulate gold on high surface area oxide supports has demonstrated its high catalytic activity in many chemical reactions. Gold is active as a heterogeneous catalyst in both gas and liquid phases, and complexes catalyse reactions homogeneously in solution. Many of the reactions being studied will lead to new application areas for catalysis by gold in pollution control, chemical processing, sensors and fuel cell technology. This book describes the properties of gold, the methods for preparing gold catalysts and ways to characterise and use them effectively in reactions. The reaction mechanisms and reasons for the high activities are discussed and the applications for gold catalysis considered.

Contents:

• Introduction to Catalysis
• The Physical and Chemical Properties of Gold
• Physical Properties and Characterisation of Small Gold Particles
• Preparation of Supported Gold Catalysts
• Chemisorption of Simple Molecules on Gold
• Oxidation of Carbon Monoxide
• The Selective Oxidation of Carbon Monoxide
• Selective Oxidation
• Reactions Involving Hydrogen
• The Water–Gas Shift
• Reactions of Environmental Importance
• Catalysis by Soluble and Supported Gold Compounds
• Miscellaneous Reactions Catalysed by Gold
• Commercial Applications

“Catalysis by Gold is a book of great cultural relevance combined with a simple and pleasant reading. Certainly, it is an appropriate time in the remarkable progress of gold catalysis for the first comprehensive review of the subject. This excellent book should be essential reading for all those working in gold catalysis or seeking to exploit it — research students, industrialists, etc. — as well as for those working generally in the catalysis field.”