Model Reaction Research Articles

N,N-Dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate-based core/shell microgels loaded with silver nanoparticles for catalysis.

In this work, poly(styrene)@poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide-co-2-(N,N-dimethyl)aminoethyl methacrylate [p(sty)@p(NIPMAM-DMAEMA)] core/shell microgel particles were produced by a two-step free-radical precipitation polymerization process. Ag nanoparticles were successfully embedded inside the sieves of a crosslinked network by using silver nitrate as the precursor salt and NaBH4 as the reductant. The synthesized pure and hybrid microgels were analyzed by various characterization tools, including Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and UV-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopies, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Results indicate the successful fabrication of spherical silver nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 10 to 15 nm within the sieves of the poly(styrene)@poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide-co-2-(N,N-dimethyl)aminoethyl methacrylate) core/shell microgels, which have a hydrodynamic diameter of 155 ± 25 nm. The Ag nanomaterial exhibited long-term stability in the p(sty)@p(NIPMAM-DMAEMA) system due to the strong donor-acceptor relationship between the lone pair of the amide moiety in the polymer microgels and the Ag nanomaterial. The catalytic activity of the Ag-p(sty)@p(NIPMAM-DMAEMA) material was determined by performing the catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol (4-NPh) as a model reaction under diverse concentrations of the catalyst. UV-vis spectrophotometry was used to check the progress of the reaction. The apparent rate constant (k app) was measured by applying the pseudo-first-order kinetics model. It was observed that k app increased with increasing catalyst dose, demonstrating occurrence of the reaction on the surface of the catalyst.

Synthesis of a series of octaalkoxy-substituted cage silsesquioxanes catalyzed by zinc acetate.

Octaalkoxy-substituted polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (8RO-POSS) is an attractive starting material for producing silicone resins. However, polymers derived from 8RO-POSS via the sol-gel process have seldom been reported owing to their synthetic difficulty. In this study, we attempted to use zinc acetate (Zn(OAc)2) as the catalyst for the synthesis of a series of 8RO-POSS from octahydrido-POSS (8H-POSS). The reaction conditions were optimized using heptaisobutyl monohydride-POSS (7iBu1H-POSS) as a model reaction. The desired product was obtained in 96% yield under optimized conditions. The alkoxylation of 8H-POSS was performed using methanol (MeOH), ethanol (EtOH), isopropyl alcohol (i-PrOH), and tert-butyl alcohol (t-BuOH) in the presence of Zn(OAc)2 as the catalyst. Although octamethoxy-POSS (8MeO-POSS) was isolated in the presence of a byproduct, octaethoxy-POSS (8EtO-POSS) and octaisopropoxy-POSS (8iPrO-POSS) were obtained in high yields. The degree of alkoxylation was 55% in the case of using t-BuOH. The structures of 8MeO-POSS, 8EtO-POSS, and 8iPrO-POSS were confirmed by FT-IR, 1H-, and 29Si-NMR and MALDI-TOF-MS analyses. Compared to the random silicate obtained by base-treated tetramethoxysilane (TMOS), base-treated 8EtO-POSS and 8iPrO-POSS showed that the cage structures were maintained even after the formation of condensed silicate structures via a condensation reaction.

Unraveling the thermal stability of aromatic disulfide epoxy vitrimers: a comprehensive study using principal component analysis (PCA)

This study combines 1H NMR and chemometrics to determine optimal processing conditions for aromatic disulfide-based vitrimers, revealing a correlation between model reactions and vitrimer networks.

A photoelectrocatalytic system as a reaction platform for selective radical-radical coupling.

The selection of electrode material is a critical factor that determines the selectivity of electrochemical organic reactions. However, the fundamental principles governing this relationship are still largely unexplored. Herein, we demonstrate a photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) system as a promising reaction platform for the selective radical-radical coupling reaction owing to the inherent charge-transfer properties of photoelectrocatalysis. As a model reaction, the radical trifluoromethylation of arenes is shown on hematite photoanodes without employing molecular catalysts. The PEC platform exhibited superior mono- to bis-trifluoromethylated product selectivity compared to conventional electrochemical methods utilizing conducting anodes. Electrochemical and density functional theory (DFT) computational studies revealed that controlling the kinetics of anodic oxidation of aromatic substrates is essential for increasing reaction selectivity. Only the PEC configuration could generate sufficiently high-energy charge carriers with controlled kinetics due to the generation of photovoltage and charge-carrier recombination, which are characteristic features of semiconductor photoelectrodes. This study opens a novel approach towards selective electrochemical organic reactions through understanding the intrinsic physicochemical properties of semiconducting materials.

Water splitting at imine-linked covalent organic frameworks.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a promising class of metal-free catalysts, offering a high structural and functional variety. Here, we systematically study imine-linked COFs with donor (D) and acceptor (A) groups using density functional theory (DFT). Using water splitting as a model reaction, we analyze the effects of protonation of the catalyst, the orientation of the imine linkage leading to different constitutional isomers, and solvation. In agreement with experimental results, we show that protonation decreases the band gap. In addition, COFs in which the donor is closer to the nitrogen atom of the imine group (DNCA) have lower band gaps than those in which the donor is closer to the carbon atom (DCNA). Three different D/A COFs are compared in this work, for which energies for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and corresponding electrochemical overpotentials are computed. We show that reaction energies are very similar for DCNA and DNCA COFs. The differences in hydrogen evolution rates between the constitutional isomers observed experimentally in (photocatalytic) HER (Yang et al., Nat. Commun., 2022, 13, 6317), are proposed to be at least in part a consequence of differences in charge distribution.

Hydrogenation of cyclohexene over single-atom Pt or Pd incorporated porous ceria nanoparticles under solvent-free conditions.

In order to maximize the utilization of noble metals in catalysis, single atom of palladium (Pd) and platinum (Pt) were incorporated individually in the framework of porous ceria (CeO2) by using a one-step flash combustion method. Samples with different Pd and Pt loading (0.5, 1, 2.5, and 5 wt%) were prepared and examined by using different analysis techniques such as XRD, ICP, N2 sorption measurements, SEM, HR-TEM, and XPS. The characterization data confirms the formation of zero-state single-atom Pt and Pd (with possible formation of Pd nanoparticles with a size less than 5 nm) incorporated onto the three-dimensional porous ceria structure. The catalytic activity of the synthesized materials was studied in the cyclohexene reduction to cyclohexane at 393 K and 3 atm of pure hydrogen (H2) gas as a model reaction. The obtained results demonstrated that the conversion percentage of cyclohexene is increasing with Pd or Pt loading. The best cyclohexene conversion, 21% and 29%, was achieved over the sample that contains 5 wt% of Pt and Pd, respectively. The collected catalytic data fit the zero-order reaction model, and the rate constant of each catalyst was determined. The catalytic experiments of the most-performed catalysts were repeated five times and the obtained loss in activity was insignificant.

Heptanone isomers as biofuel: Reactivity with OH radicals

The reactions of heptanone isomers, namely diisopropyl ketone (DIPK, k1), isopropyl propyl ketone (IPPK, k2), and dipropyl ketone (DPK, k3), with OH radicals play a crucial role in predicting their combustion behavior. We conducted the first high-temperature measurements of these reactions over the temperature range of 876 to 1328 K at pressures near 1 bar. The determined overall rate coefficients may be described as (unit of cm3molecule−1s−1):k1=2.13×10−10e(−2684T)k2=2.42×10−10e(−2733T)k3=2.84×10−10e(−2808T)Over the investigated high temperature range, all three reactions exhibit a positive temperature dependence, with activation energies ranging 5.3 to 5.6 kcal mol−1. We did not observe discernible pressure dependence within the pressure range of 0.66 to 1.66 bar. At 1250 K, DPK reacts with OH radicals 11 % faster than IPPK and 21 % faster than DIPK. Interestingly, compared to heptane, which reacts twice as fast, the presence of the C=O group significantly hinders the reactivity of the normal chain heptanone (DPK) towards OH radicals. Furthermore, the rate coefficients of OH + DIPK reaction in literature models underestimate the measured activation energy and overpredict the overall rate coefficients. To enhance the accuracy of SAR prediction for OH + ketone reactions, a multiplicative factor of 0.6 - 0.75 is suggested. Additionally, this study provides a site-specific expression for the tertiary CH bonds adjacent to the C=O bond in ketone molecules, expanding the applicability of the NNN (next-nearest-neighbor) prediction scheme to encompass larger branched ketones.

Spiral gas-solid two-phase flow continuous mechanochemical synthesis of salophen complexes and catalytic thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate.

Although mechanochemistry is increasingly becoming an alternative to traditional chemical synthesis, highly efficient continuous mechanochemical synthesis techniques are still rare. In this work, a novel spiral gas-solid two-phase flow (S-GSF) synthesis technique for the mechanochemical synthesis of salophen complexes has been reported, which is an approach for continuous synthesis based solely on airflow impacting the reaction. The synthesis of salophen-Br-Cu was used as a model reaction to optimize the reaction conditions, and three other salophen complexes, namely, salophen-Br-Co, salophen-Br-Ni, and salophen-Br-Zn were synthesized on this basis. The structure and thermal stability of the obtained products were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The results showed that these complexes can be obtained continuously at a rate close to 4 g min-1, and the corresponding space-time yield is close to 1.2 × 105 kg m-3 day-1. In addition, DTA was used to analyze the catalytic performance of the complex for ammonium perchlorate (AP). The results showed that compared to the conditions for pure AP, salophen-Br-Co and salophen-Br-Cu could significantly reduce the high-temperature decomposition of AP pyrolysis to 77.0 and 102.1 °C, respectively. According to the method of Kissinger calculations, the Ea of AP decomposition decreased from 217.3 kJ mol-1 to 131.0 and 118.5 kJ mol-1, respectively. The TG data at different heating rates were analyzed using two isoconversion methods, i.e. Flynne-Walle-Ozawa (FWO) and Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS). The activation energies of AP, AP + 10 wt% salophen-Br-Co, and AP + 10 wt% salophen-Br-Cu were calculated. When the conversion degree (α) is between 0.1 and 0.9, the Ea values obtained from the two isoconversion methods are similar and exhibit certain matching. These two isoconversion methods also confirm Kissinger's calculations.

Designing Michaelases: exploration of novel protein scaffolds for iminium biocatalysis.

Biocatalysis is becoming a powerful and sustainable alternative for asymmetric catalysis. However, enzymes are often restricted to metabolic and less complex reactivities. This can be addressed by protein engineering, such as incorporating new-to-nature functional groups into proteins through the so-called expansion of the genetic code to produce artificial enzymes. Selecting a suitable protein scaffold is a challenging task that plays a key role in designing artificial enzymes. In this work, we explored different protein scaffolds for an abiological model of iminium-ion catalysis, Michael addition of nitromethane into E-cinnamaldehyde. We studied scaffolds looking for open hydrophobic pockets and enzymes with described binding sites for the targeted substrate. The proteins were expressed and variants harboring functional amine groups - lysine, p-aminophenylalanine, or N6-(D-prolyl)-L-lysine - were analyzed for the model reaction. Among the newly identified scaffolds, a thermophilic ene-reductase from Thermoanaerobacter pseudethanolicus was shown to be the most promising biomolecular scaffold for this reaction.

Catalytic selectivity of nanorippled graphene.

Experiments have shown that nanoscale ripples in a graphene membrane exhibit unexpectedly high catalytic activity with respect to hydrogen dissociation. Nonetheless, the catalytic selectivity of nanorippled graphene remains unknown, which is an equally important property for assessing a catalyst's potential and its fit-for-purpose applications. Herein, we examine the catalytic selectivity of nanorippled graphene using a model reaction of molecular hydrogen with another simple but double-bonded molecule, oxygen, and comparing the measurement results with those from splitting of hydrogen molecules. We show that although nanorippled graphene exhibits a high catalytic activity toward hydrogen dissociation, the activity for catalyzing the hydrogen-oxygen reaction is quite low, translating into a strong catalytic selectivity. The latter reaction involves the reduction of oxygen molecules by the dissociated hydrogen adatoms, which requires additional energy cost and practically determines the selectivity. In this sense, the well-established information about reactions in general of atomic hydrogen with many other species in the literature could potentially predict the selectivity of nanorippled graphene as a catalyst. Our work provides implications for the catalytic properties of nanorippled graphene, especially its selectivity. The results would be important for its extension to a wider range of reactions and for designer technologies involving hydrogen.

Solvent-induced dual nucleophiles and the α-effect in the SN2 versus E2 competition.

We have quantum chemically investigated how microsolvation affects the various E2 and SN2 pathways, their mutual competition, and the α-effect of the model reaction system HOO-(H2O)n + CH3CH2Cl, at the CCSD(T) level. Interestingly, we identify the dual nature of the α-nucleophile HOO- which, upon solvation, is in equilibrium with HO-. This solvent-induced dual appearance gives rise to a rich network of competing reaction channels. Among both nucleophiles, SN2 is always favored over E2, and this preference increases upon increasing microsolvation. Furthermore, we found a pronounced α-effect, not only for SN2 substitution but also for E2 elimination, i.e., HOO- is more reactive than HO- in both cases. Our activation strain and quantitative molecular orbital analyses reveal the physical mechanisms behind the various computed trends. In particular, we demonstrate that two recently proposed criteria, required for solvent-free nucleophiles to display the α-effect, must also be satisfied by microsolvated HOO-(H2O)n nucleophiles.

Tailoring parameters for QM/MM simulations: accurate modeling of adsorption and catalysis in zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks.

Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) simulations offer an efficient way to model reactions occurring in complex environments. This study introduces a specialized set of charge and Lennard-Jones parameters tailored for electrostatically embedded QM/MM calculations, aiming to accurately model both adsorption processes and catalytic reactions in zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks (Zr-MOFs). To validate our approach, we compare adsorption energies derived from QM/MM simulations against experimental results and Monte Carlo simulation outcomes. The developed parameters showcase the ability of QM/MM simulations to represent long-range electrostatic and van der Waals interactions faithfully. This capability is evidenced by the prediction of adsorption energies with a low root mean square error of 1.1 kcal mol-1 across a wide range of adsorbates. The practical applicability of our QM/MM model is further illustrated through the study of glucose isomerization and epimerization reactions catalyzed by two structurally distinct Zr-MOF catalysts, UiO-66 and MOF-808. Our QM/MM calculations closely align with experimental activation energies. Importantly, the parameter set introduced here is compatible with the widely used universal force field (UFF). Moreover, we thoroughly explore how the size of the cluster model and the choice of density functional theory (DFT) methodologies influence the simulation outcomes. This work provides an accurate and computationally efficient framework for modeling complex catalytic reactions within Zr-MOFs, contributing valuable insights into their mechanistic behaviors and facilitating further advancements in this dynamic area of research.

Investigating the efficacy of green solvents and solvent-free conditions in hydrogen-bonding mediated organocatalyzed model reactions.

In this study, we have delved into various reactions conducted using green solvents or under solvent-free conditions, employing hydrogen bonding organocatalysis to advance more sustainable practices in chemical synthesis. The outcomes suggest that cyclopentyl methyl ether could potentially replace non-polar organic solvents such as hexane and toluene with comparable enantioselectivity and yields. The non-polar nature of liquefied or supercritical CO2 restricts its application to reactions that require non-polar solvents. Furthermore, pursuing solvent-free conditions, even without liquid substrates, might result in similar conversion rates with reduced catalyst loading. These findings highlight the potential of exploring solvent-free conditions when enantioselectivity is not of concern. Based on the results, solvent-free conditions and bio-based solvents can serve as viable alternatives to conventional organic solvents without compromising performance. This is expected to influence the way chemists approach reaction optimisation within method development in the field, fostering a broader adoption of environmentally friendly approaches.

A multi-channel microfluidic platform based on human flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 for personalised medicine.

Human flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) is a drug-metabolizing enzyme (DME) which is known to be highly polymorphic. Some of its polymorphic variants are associated with inter-individual differences that contribute to drug response. In order to measure these differences, the implementation of a quick and efficient in vitro assay is highly desirable. To this end, in this work a microfluidic immobilized enzyme reactor (μ-IMER) was developed with four separate serpentines where FMO3 and its two common polymorphic variants (V257M and E158K) were covalently immobilized via glutaraldehyde cross-linking in the presence of a polylysine coating. Computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed to calculate the selected substrate retention time in serpentines with different surface areas at various flow rates. The oxidation of tamoxifen, an anti-breast cancer drug, was used as a model reaction to characterize the new device in terms of available surface area for immobilization, channel coating, and applied flow rate. The highest amount of product was obtained when applying a 10 μL min-1 flow rate on polylysine-coated serpentines with a surface area of 90 mm2 each. Moreover, these conditions were used to test the device as a multi-enzymatic platform by simultaneously assessing the conversion of tamoxifen by FMO3 and its two polymorphic variants immobilized on different serpentines of the same chip. The results obtained demonstrate that the differences observed in the conversion of tamoxifen within the chip are similar to those already published (E158K > WT > V257M). Therefore, this microfluidic platform provides a feasible option for fabricating devices for personalised medicine.

Design of porous ZrO2 with well-tuned band structures and strong visible-light harvesting via Zn doping for enhanced visible-light photocatalysis

As one of huge-gap semiconductors, zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) has been emerging as one of popular photocatalysts for treating wastewater, and the band gap engineering of ZrO2 for efficient visible-light harvesting and high-performance photocatalysis is probably the most important challenge. In this work, porous Zn doped Zr3+-ZrO2 nanostructures with strong visible-light harvesting capacity were fabricated via a calcination process for tetracycline degradation. The obtained (Zn, Zr3+)-ZrO2 samples showed greatly narrowed band gaps and enhanced visible-light harvesting capacity. In addition, the photocatalytic performance of the (Zn, Zr3+)-ZrO2 nanostructures was studied with tetracycline degradation as a model reaction. Among these prepared samples, the optimal (Zn, Zr3+)-ZrO2-5% sample exhibited remarkably improved tetracycline degradation visible-light irradiation, and the apparent rate constant reached 0.04958 min−1, which was 7.05 times of pristine Zr3+-ZrO2. The boosted photocatalytic performance of the (Zn, Zr3+)-ZrO2 nanostructures were mainly ascribed to Zn doping effects as along as the high surface areas. Finally, possible photocatalytic mechanism, degradation pathways, and toxicity assessment were also studied. Current results indicate the significant roles of Zn doping in regulation of band gaps and morphology control of ZrO2 for high-performance photocatalytic applications.

The transformations of thiols and their dimers in the redox-mediated thiol-disulfide exchange reaction

A search for new approaches to sulfurous waste utilization is one of the urgent tasks of chemical technology. Thiol-disulfide exchange reaction (TDE) is one of the possible ways to involve technogenic wastes in organic synthesis. Electricity can promote such type of interactions. In this paper, we have studied TDE reactions involving low molecular weight thiols or their dimers under electrochemical conditions. The exchange processes were examined using the model reaction between 1-propanethiol and phenyl disulfide. Electrolysis was performed in the presence of redox mediators such as arylphosphines, substituted amines, o-, p-aminophenols or catechol. These compounds can initiate a TDE process with a formation of unsymmetrical disulfides. 4-Amino-2,6-diphenylphenol was chosen as the most effective redox mediator, which reduces the anodic overvoltage of a thiol oxidation by 1.20 V. The advantage of electrolysis in an undivided cell is the increased yield of target unsymmetrical disulfides due to the possibility of reduction ofhomodimers at the cathode. The involvement of refining waste, such as C3–C4 disulfide oil, in the reaction with substituted thiophenols made it possible to obtain a number of unsymmetrical arylalkyl disulfides with biologically active fragments in a high yield (up to 97%) under indirect electrolysis conditions.

Facile synthesis of sulfonic acid-based ionic liquid-decorated magnetic halloysite as an efficient catalyst for the multicomponent synthesis of 2-amino 4 H pyran derivatives

In the present research, a new magnetic halloysite nanoclay (Hal) modified with glutamine (Glu) and an ionic liquid (IL) containing sulfonic acid groups, denoted as Fe3O4 @Hal-Glu-EPI-SO3H IL, was successfully synthesized. The characterization of the synthesized nanocomposite was precisely accomplished by using different physicochemical techniques, including Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The catalytic activity of the as-prepared catalyst was investigated in the synthesis of 4H-pyran derivatives through multicomponent reactions (MCRs) under reaction conditions. For optimizing the reaction, the key factors, including the amount of Fe3O4 @Hal-Glu-EPI-SO3H IL, type of solvent, reaction time and temperature were evaluated. The optimum conditions of model reaction were achieved using 0.02 g of catalyst in water solvent after 20 min at reflux temperature. According to the findings above, the results indicated that high-yield products (96%) are obtained during a short time. Moreover, the high catalytic activity of the Fe3O4 @Hal-Glu-EPI-SO3H IL was maintained for six cycles without significantly diminishing its performance.

Epinastine Cream: A Novel Once-Daily Therapeutic Agent for Allergic Conjunctivitis.

Purpose: To investigate the in vivo efficacy of epinastine cream in type I allergic models. Methods: The dose, timing, and antiallergic effect of epinastine cream on the conjunctiva were evaluated postapplication to the eyelid skin of guinea pigs with histamine- or ovalbumin-induced allergic conjunctivitis. Additionally, we assessed its antiallergic effects on the skin postapplication to the dorsal skin of guinea pigs with ovalbumin-induced passive cutaneous anaphylaxis. Efficacy was estimated by determining the amount of dye that leaked from conjunctival or dorsal skin tissue vessels as a measure of vascular permeability, scoring the severity of allergic symptoms, and observing the scratching behaviors using clinical parameters. Results: In the histamine-induced conjunctivitis model, epinastine cream strongly inhibited conjunctival vascular permeability in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of 0.5% epinastine cream 24 h postapplication was significantly higher than that of 0.1% epinastine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution 8 h postadministration. Additionally, the 0.5% epinastine cream inhibited conjunctival vascular permeability 15 min postapplication, and the effect was sustained over 24 h. Furthermore, the 0.5% epinastine cream effectively suppressed clinical symptom scores and exhibited ameliorated scratching bouts in conjunctival allergic reactions in the experimental allergic conjunctivitis model. Additionally, it significantly inhibited vascular permeability in skin allergic reactions in the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis model. Conclusions: The results suggest that epinastine cream is a strong, long-lasting, and skin-penetrating inhibitor of type I allergic reactions. The 0.5% epinastine cream applied once daily could be a promising, potent, and long-acting therapeutic agent for allergic conjunctivitis.

On‐column trace‐level formation of N‐nitrosamine in a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analytical system

A model reaction between di‐n‐butylamine and sodium nitrite was studied to investigate trace‐level N‐nitrosamine formation. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) analysis of kinetic time points from an in‐progress reaction showed a systematic offset in nitrosamine concentration between quenched and unquenched samples. By combining samples of amine and nitrite in the needle of the autosampler it was demonstrated that N‐nitrosamine was formed in the LC–MS system. Further experimentation indicated that nitrosation was occurring on‐column.

Total oxidation of propane using titania-supported platinum nanoparticles prepared through sol-immobilization

A set of mono-metallic nanoparticles catalysts, including palladium, platinum, and gold supported on titania, were prepared via the sol-immobilization technique, and evaluated for the total oxidation of propane as a model reaction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) oxidation, which is a wide-ranging group of organic pollutants that contribute to serious atmospheric problems. The results showed that 1 wt.% Pt/TiO2 was the most active catalyst toward CO2, as the catalyst was very active, and the complete conversion of propane was achieved with full selectivity toward CO2. The effect of the support type was investigated through the immobilization of platinum nanoparticles on CeO2 and γ-Al2O3. The results indicated that the catalytic activity follows the order 1% Pt/TiO2 > 1% Pt/CeO2 > 1% Pt/Al2O3. For the Pt/TiO2 catalyst, the influence of the calcination temperature and metal loading on the catalytic activity was investigated. There is a slight increase in the Pt particle size when raising the calcination temperature from 300 °C to 500 °C, which enhances the catalytic activity of 1% Pt/TiO2 at 500 °C. Furthermore, increasing the metal loading from 0.1 to 1 wt.% enhances the catalytic activity as a result of the increase in particle size. Different characterization techniques were utilized, including XRD, TEM, XPS, and MP-AES, to determine the structure-activity relationship, and together they indicate that the catalytic activity is influenced more by the particle size of Pt nanoparticles than by the oxidation state.