So, imagine tiny tunnels and caves. What's the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe a mining rig.  Imagine these tunnels and caves are so small that they can only form reactions in a specific way.  World top chemists call this as shape-selective catalysis.  The chemical reactions that happen here are something you would see in high science fiction.

    Methanol, forming Olefins. Simply, tiny organic substances forming into smaller substances, which are also organics. The magic is driven by special substances. They are also special in size and shape, designed in specific ways to form reactions on a grand scale.  These are the shape-selective catalysis of cavity-type molecular sieves.

    Unlike a normal one size benefit, these ones have a wide difference in their shapes and the way they react--unique to each molecule's structure and shape, called 8 Membered Ring (8-MR) in microscopic imaging.  The tiny cavern hole narrow openings control how molecules enter, react, and exit.  This affects everything about the reaction, from how molecules stick to the surfaces to how they move around and interact, along with where they form temporary bonds.  The cavities are empty but they are the site of a major event.  The 8-MR and cavity-type molecular sieve catalysts are like a dance floor where all the chemical compounds act out a movement.

   The actual secret behind this is it could generates different intermediate compounds within confined spaces.   The reaction process has leaves behind some "friendly guest" on the surfaces.  There is a non-uniform distribution of coke species from molecular reactions.  Coke species are no friend to our "unfriendly" guests trying to be resourceful.  Coke species create a host-guest interaction effect between the cavity structure and the reactants.

    It is good to note these reactions are done with no outside help.  It leaves the inital process with on one way to go and that is towards the molecular sieve catalysts.

    Reaction pathways and intermediate generation are highly influenced by the peculiar structure of these cavities.  It's like having a choreographer in a dance----nothing is going to work if that choreographer is not there.  This is a chance for the scientists to tweak and optimize the process for even better results.

    These catalysts have the potential to be used in a variety of other chemical reactions involving C1 chemistry.

How Micro-pores can Direct Chemical Reactions

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