第366回触媒化学研究センターコロキウム

From description to prediction in Heterogeneous Catalysis
Prof. Dr. Emiel J.M. Hensen(Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry,Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands)
2015年6月30日（火）15:30—17:00（創成科学研究棟4階セミナー室B・C）
http://www.cat.hokudai.ac.jp/access.html
Today’s society needs to prepare itself for a more healthy future with food for all and sufficient energy andresources to fuel our growing prosperity. Catalysts will play a central role in the transition to a low-carbon
economy. Catalysis itself is rapidly involving from a descriptive into a predictive science. In this lecture, I will
highlight three examples of catalysis research done in Eindhoven. The first example concerns the prediction ofoptimum catalysts for the Fischer-Tropsch reaction by state-of-the-art computational modeling. I will show why
the current catalysts are sub-optimal in performance. The second part of the presentation will be devoted tobiomass conversion. The key mechanistic aspects of Lewis acid catalyzed conversion of glucose to fructose
will be discussed. Theoretical models help to understand results obtained using Sn-containing zeolites andtungsten oxides. The final part of the lecture will be devoted to the upgrading of lignin which is most recalcitrant
part of biomass. I will highlight how well-designed model experiments help to understand the mechanism ofthese complex conversion reactions. In this way, we are able to depolymerize lignin into a product with 60-90
wt% monomer yield in supercritical ethanol.
References: [1] I.A.W. Filot, R.A. van Santen and E.J.M. Hensen, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 53 (2014) 1274612750. [2] G. Li, E.A. Pidko and E.J.M. Hensen, Catal. Sci. Techn. 4 (2014) 2241-2250. [3] X. Huang, T.I.
Korányi, M.D. Boot and E.J.M. Hensen, ChemSusChem 7 (2014) 2276-2288.

問合せ先： 触媒化学研究センター・中島清隆（nakajima@cat.hokudai.ac.jp・011-706-9136）
Professor Emiel Hensen holds a doctorate in the field of heterogeneous catalysis research from the Eindhoven
University of Technology, After short stints at the University of Amsterdam (with Prof. Berend Smit) and Shell
research, he returned to Eindhoven, where he serves as Professor of Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis since2009. The research of his group focuses on the fundamental aspects of catalyzed reactions relevant to cleanand sustainable processes for the production of fuels and chemicals with the aim to identify active sites andunderstand reaction mechanism. His working approach is to combine advanced characterization methods withcomputational modeling and performance testing to guide the design and synthesis of nanoscopically organized
and well-defined chemically functionalized catalytic solid materials. The materials explored include primarily
highly structured porous materials containing reactive centers such as protons, metal ions and metal, metaloxide and metal sulfides clusters. Catalytic target reactions are hydrocarbon activation by Brønsted and Lewis
acid as well as redox centers in zeolites and related mesoporous materials, hydrotreating reactions by metalsulfides, the Fischer-Tropsch reaction, conversion of biogenic molecules such as sugars and lignin, and metalsupport cooperativity in selective oxidation. Hensen published about 250 papers in scientific journals and 15contributions to multi-authored volumes. He currently acts as the chairman of the Netherlands Institute forCatalysis Research. He is recipient of prestigious national grants in the VENI, VIDI, VICI scheme and a TOP
grant from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research

366th Catalysis Research Center (CRC) Colloquium