Encapsulation of Molybdenum Carbide Nanoclusters inside Zeolite Micropores Enables Synergistic Bifunctional Catalysis for Anisole Hydrodeoxygenation

Molybdenum carbide (MoC x ) nanoclusters were encapsulated inside the micropores of aluminosilicate FAU zeolites to generate highly active and selective bifunctional catalyst for the hydrodeoxygenation of anisole. Interatomic correlations obtained with differential pair distribution function analysis confirmed the intraparticle structure and the uniform size of the MoC x nanoclusters. The reactivity data showed the preferential production of alkylated aromatics (such as toluene and xylene) over benzene during the hydrodeoxygenation of anisole as well as the minimization of unwanted CH4 formation. Control experiments demonstrated the importance of MoC x encapsulation to generate an efficient bifunctional catalyst with superior carbon utilization and on-stream stability.