Reaction Catalyst Inventor (Year) Sulphuric acid (lead—chamber process)
Clement, Desormes (1806) Chlorine production by HCl oxidation CuSO4 Deacon (1867) Nitric acid by NH3 oxidation Pt, Rh nets Ostwald (1906) Fat hardening Ni Normann (1907) Ammonia synthesis (H2 + N2 ) Fe Mittach, Haber, Bosch (1908); Production 1913 BASF Hydrogenation of coal to hydrocarbons Fe, Mo, Sn Bergius (1913); Pier (1927) Methanol synthesis from Co/H2 Zno/Cr2 O3 Mittach (1923) Hydrocarbons from CO/H2 (motor fuels) Fe, Co, Ni Fischer, Tropsch (1925) Alkylation of olefins to gasoline AlCl3 Pines (1932) Cracking of hydrocarbons Al2 O3 /SiO2 Houdry (1937) Cracking in a fluidized bed Aluminosilicates Lewis, Gilliland (1939) Ethylene polymerization at low pressure Ti compounds Ziegler, Natta (1954) Hydrogenation, isomerization, hydroformylation Rh-, Ru complexes Wilkinson (1964) Methanol carbonylation to acetic acid Co/iodide BASF (1960); Rh/iodide Monsanto Co. (1966); Iridium BP Chemicals Ltd. (2000) Asymmetric hydrogenation Rh/chiral phosphine Knowles (1974) Three-way catalyst Pt, Rh/monolith General Motors (1974) Methanol conversion to hydrocarbons Zeolites Mobil Chemical Co. (1975) Alpha-olefins from ethylene Ni/chelate phosphine Shell company (1977) Sharpless (epi) oxidation TI/ROOH/Tartarate May, Baker, Upjohn, ARCO (1981) Selective oxidations with H2 O2 TS-1 (titanium silicate) Enichem (1983) Hydroformylation Rh/phosphine Rhone-Poulene-Ruhrchemie (1984) Polymerization of olefins Zirconocene/MAO Sinn, Kaminsky (1985) Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) V, W, Ti oxides/monolith 1986
