Zeolite Structural Confinement Effects Enhance One-Pot Catalytic Conversion of Ethanol to Butadiene

The one-pot conversion of ethanol to butadiene is a promising route for butadiene production; however, simultaneous attainment of high butadiene productivity and high butadiene selectivity is challenging. Here, zeolite-confined bicomponent Zn-Y clusters were constructed and applied as robust catalysts for ethanol to-butadiene conversion with a state-of-the-art butadiene productivity of 2.33 g(BD)/g(cat)/h and butadiene selectivity of similar to 63%. Structural confinement effects are responsible for the enhanced butadiene production efficiency via a multiple-step cascade reaction.