Gold has traditionally been regarded as inactive as a catalytic metal. However, the advent of nanoparticulate gold on high surface area oxide supports has demonstrated its high catalytic activity in many chemical reactions. Gold is active as a heterogeneous catalyst in both gas and liquid phases, and complexes catalyse reactions homogeneously in solution. Many of the reactions being studied will lead to new applicationareas for catalysis by gold in pollution control, chemical processing, sensors and fuel cell technology. This book describes the properties of gold, the methods for preparing gold catalysts and ways to characterise and use them effectively in reactions. The reaction mechanisms and reasons for the high activities are discussed and the applications for gold catalysis considered.

Índice: Introduction to Catalysis; Physical and Chemical Properties of Gold; Preparation and Properties of Small Gold Particles; Preparation and Characterisation of Supported Gold Catalysts; Chemisorption of Simple Molecules on Gold; Oxidation of Carbon Monoxide; Selective Oxidation of Carbon Monoxide in Hydrogen; Selective Oxidation of Organic Molecules; Reactions Involving Hydrogen; The Water-Gas Shift; Reactions of Environmental Importance; Homogeneous Catalysis and Supported Complexes; Miscellaneous Reactions; Commercial Applications