In-Situ generation of surface-active HCo(CO)_y like intermediate from gold supported on ion-promoted Co₃O₄ for induced hydroformylation-hydrogenation of alkenes to alcohols

In this study, a greener and stable surface-active cobalt-carbonyl like specie [HCo(CO)_y] was generated via H₂ and CO spillover by gold on ion-promoted cobalt oxide. The supports and catalysts syntheses were based on inverse micelle and deposition-precipitation methods, respectively. The temperature-programmed reduction was used for optimization to obtain the best supports. The catalysts with activity (Co₃O₄ < Cs-Co₃O₄ < Au/Cs-Co₃O₄ and Au loadings 10 % < 2 % < 5 %) were evaluated for the hydroformylation-hydrogenation of alkenes to alcohols, with the 5 % Au/Cs-Co₃O₄ catalyst more active than the others and displayed excellent alcohol chemoselectivity with varying regioselectivity under milder reaction conditions. The reaction was assumed to take place via the formation of [HCo(CO)_y] specie, as the active catalytic site of the catalyst. The enhanced catalytic performance was also ascribed to the low-temperature reducibility and surface basicity of the nanomaterials. The stability of the catalyst was evaluated by recycling, with its mesostructure retained after four cycles.