Tunable metal-reduced graphene oxide hybrid materials for electric field-driven catalytic hydrogenation

Abstract Efficient hydrogenation catalysts operating under mild conditions are essential for sustainable chemical synthesis. Herein, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) supported Ni, Pd, Cu, and Zn catalysts were investigated for the hydrogenation of 1-octene under an applied external electric field (EEF). Paired ON/OFF experiments demonstrate that the EEF significantly enhances hydrogenation activity in a catalyst-dependent manner. Notably, Cu–rGO exhibits the highest activity under EEF, revealing an activity trend distinct from conventional thermal hydrogenation. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide complementary insight into intrinsic electronic structures while highlighting the limitations of static models for describing EEF-driven catalysis. Graphical abstract