Comparative IR spectroscopic study of Pt- and Pd-containing zeolites in the hydrodechlorination reaction of carbon tetrachloride

Hydrodechlorination of CCl4 was investigated on noble metal containing zeolite catalysts by IR spectroscopy. Both the surface species and the gas phase reaction products were simultaneously analysed. Results revealed that the reaction rate and the reaction products were different on Pt- and Pd-containing samples. The enhanced formation of ethane and the suppressed generation of methane over Pd/NaY-FAU zeolite and the formation of chloroform as intermediate product over Pt/NaY-FAU zeolite were explained by the different bond strength of reaction intermediates to the metal surface. The influence of acid sites on the product distribution was traced back to the local decomposition of zeolite framework. A combination of IR spectroscopic methods including simultaneous analysis of gas phase products and surface intermediates proved to be an excellent tool for investigating the reaction mechanism.