LAUSR

Abstract Two different nanoscale Pd particle distributions in MCM-41, i.e. in the mesopores and on the external surface, were obtained by using a siliceous MCM-41 and a silylated MCM-41 (S-MCM-41) as the starting support materials, respectively. The electron density of Pd in Pd/S-MCM-41 was lower than that in Pd/MCM-41. Pd/S-MCM-41 exhibited much better selective hydrogenation performance but a lower hydrogenolysis activity than Pd/MCM-41. These differences are related to the different Pd particle distributions in MCM-41 and S-MCM-41, demonstrating that the performance of noble metal catalysts is tunable by simply controlling the nanoscale metal particle distribution in the pores.