Volume 64, Issue 28 e202507525

Research Article

Tri-Coordinated Boron Species in Confined Boron Oxide Catalysts for Enhanced Low-Temperature Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane

Yuenan Zheng

State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Liaoning Key Laboratory for Catalytic Conversion of Carbon Resources, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, 116024 P.R. China

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Weixi Chen,

Weixi Chen

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Zhankai Liu,

Zhankai Liu

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Wen-Duo Lu,

Wen-Duo Lu

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Prof. Wen-Cui Li,

Prof. Wen-Cui Li

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Prof. Dongqi Wang,

Prof. Dongqi Wang

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Prof. An-Hui Lu,

Corresponding Author

Prof. An-Hui Lu

[email protected]

E-mail: [email protected]

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Yuenan Zheng,

Yuenan Zheng

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Weixi Chen,

Weixi Chen

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Zhankai Liu,

Zhankai Liu

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Wen-Duo Lu,

Wen-Duo Lu

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Prof. Wen-Cui Li,

Prof. Wen-Cui Li

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Prof. Dongqi Wang,

Prof. Dongqi Wang

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Prof. An-Hui Lu,

Corresponding Author

Prof. An-Hui Lu

[email protected]

E-mail: [email protected]

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First published: 05 May 2025

https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202507525

Citations: 1

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Graphical Abstract

The confined BO_x@SiO₂ with highly dispersed BO_x species was synthesized by the in situ transformation of BN@SiO₂, which showed a remarkable activity of a unique C₃H₈ conversion uprush increasing from 5.3% at 410 °C to 28.4% at 424.6 °C for oxidative dehydrogenation of propane. The key for the efficient C₃H₈ activation was the increased amount of tri-coordinated B─OH derived from the dispersion of molten BO_x species within spatially confined SiO₂.

Abstract

Boron-based catalysts exhibit great potential for oxidative dehydrogenation of propane (ODHP) to produce olefins. The straightforward synthesis of confined boron-based catalysts commonly using H₃BO₃ is intractable because of its abundant hydroxyl groups easily interacting with the supports in a spatially nonselective manner. Herein, we managed to construct a confined BO_x@SiO₂ catalyst showing an impressive low-temperature (400 °C) activity. This catalyst was prepared via the encapsulation of BN nanosheets by SiO₂ shell and subsequent oxidization steps. The in situ generated boron–oxygen species were anchored to silica shells via B─O─Si and hydrogen bonds. BO_x@SiO₂ exhibited a unique catalytic behavior of propane conversion uprush, increasing from 5.3% at 410 °C to 28.4% at 424.6 °C for ODHP reaction. That was attributed to the efficient activation of propane triggered by the newly formed tri-coordinated B─OH (B[3]^a and B[3]^b) active sites from the dispersion of molten BO_x species in confined SiO₂. Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations revealed that in the confined structure, the bond angles of O─B─O and B─O─B and system disorder of BO_x species increased significantly in molten state, favoring the dispersion of BO_x species and formation of B─OH groups, which drove the uprush of propane conversion.

Conflict of Interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Open Research

Data Availability Statement

Research data are not shared.

Supporting Information

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Volume64, Issue28

July 7, 2025

e202507525

Tri-Coordinated Boron Species in Confined Boron Oxide Catalysts for Enhanced Low-Temperature Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane

Graphical Abstract

Abstract

Conflict of Interests

Open Research

Data Availability Statement

Supporting Information

References

Citing Literature

References

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Tri-Coordinated Boron Species in Confined Boron Oxide Catalysts for Enhanced Low-Temperature Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane

Graphical Abstract

Abstract

Conflict of Interests

Open Research

Data Availability Statement

Supporting Information

References

Citing Literature

References

Related

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