Tailoring Pt-Fe₂O₃ Interfaces for Selective Reductive Coupling Reaction to Synthesize Imine

The tailoring of the metal-metal oxide interface has emerged as an effective method to improve the catalytic performance of heterogeneous catalysts. Herein, we report on the synthesis of a catalyst with a Pt-Fe³⁺-OH interface based on a Fe₂O₃-Pt core-shell structure by atomic layer deposition. This tandem catalyst shows remarkably high catalytic efficiency and selectivity (>89%) of imine for the reductive coupling of nitrobenzene and furfural. The Pt-Fe³⁺-OH interface sites weaken the Pt-H bond and suppress the further hydrogenation of imine to amine. In contrast, the monometallic Pt catalyst shows a strong Pt-H interaction and dominant formation of amine. Further comparison revealed that the Fe₂O₃-Pt core-shell structure exhibited a higher TOF in the generation of imine and a better utilization of Pt than the Pt-Fe₂O₃ core-shell structure.