Heterolytic Hydrogenation and H– Migration-Assisted Hydrodeoxygenation Reaction under Mild Conditions over Pt/TiO2-D

Hydrodeoxygenation of lignin-derived guaiacol to aromatic products under mild conditions was achieved using an interesting Pt/TiO2-D catalyst. The defects in TiO2-D played a pivotal role in H2 dissociation and exhibited a unique capability for the migration of active H species on the surface and within the bulk phase of TiO2-D, resulting in the formation of a "H reservoir" adjacent to the Pt active sites. Consequently, Pt/TiO2-D exhibited superb activity for the cleavage of the C–O bond under extremely low hydrogen concentration (1 atm 10% H2/Ar). Moreover, the H−migration into the TiO2-D bulk induced the formation of a new Ti3O5 crystalline phase, creating additional defects, which in turn accelerated H2 activation, the formation of Pt-H species, and the H reservoir, which account for the satisfactory ability of Pt/TiO2-D for guaiacol adsorption and C–O cleavage under mild conditions.