The surface chemistry of heterogeneous catalysis: mechanisms, selectivity, and active sites.

The role of chemical kinetics in defining the requirements for the active sites of heterogeneous catalysts is discussed. A personal view is presented, with specific examples from our laboratory to illustrate the role of the chemical composition, structure, and electronic properties of specific surface sites in determining reaction activity and selectivity. Manipulation of catalytic behavior via the addition of chemical modifiers and by tuning of the reaction conditions is also introduced. Copyright (c) 2005 The Japan Chemical Journal Forum and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.