Mechanismus der katalysierten Synthese von Kohlenwasserstoffen

On the mechanism of the catalysed synthesis of hydrocarbons . Recent results by independent research teams prove that, in hydrocarbon synthesis over metal catalysts in a reducing atmosphere, the dissociative adsorption of CO is of considerable importance. On the catalyst surface the two fragments, C ads and O ads , react swiftly with hydrogen to CH x,ads and H 2 O respectively. CH x,ads can be either hydrogenated to methane or incorporated in growing chains. This process may be visualized as a cis insertion of a carbene CH 2,ads in a metal‐alkyl bond. In the steady state the catalyst surface is predominantly covered with CO ads , only a small fraction of the surface atoms carrying growing alkyl groups. These have been detected by 13 C labelling as well as by IR spectroscopy.