The future of the precious metals is shiny and resistant. Although expensive and potentially replaceable by transition metal catalysts, precious metal implementation in research and industry shows potential. These metals catalyze oxidation and hydrogenation due to their dissociative behavior toward hydrogen and oxygen, dehydrogenation, isomerization, and aromatization, etc. The precious metal catalysts, especially platinum-based catalysts, are involved in a variety of industrial processes. Examples include Pt–Rh gauze for nitric acid production, the Pt/Al2O3 catalyst for cyclohexane and propylene production, and Pd/Al2O3 catalysts for petrochemical hydropurification reactions, etc. A quick search of the number of published articles in the last five years containing a combination of corresponding “metals” (Pt, Pd, Ru, Rh and Au) and “catalysts” as keywords indicates the importance of the Pt catalysts, but also the continuous increase in the contribution of Pd and Au. This Special Issue reveals the importance of precious metals in catalysis and focuses on mono- and bi-metallic formulations of any supported precious metals and their promotional catalytic effect of other transition metals. The application of precious metals in diverse reactions, either homogeneous or heterogeneous, and studies of the preparation, characterization, and applications of the supported precious metal catalysts, are presented.

Based on the papers and posters presented at the 15th Conference on Catalysis of Organic Reactions, this work covers developments in the study of catalysis as it relates to organic synthesis, emphasizing applications in industrial processes. Over 1000 bibliographic citations and over 250 tables, drawings, and photographs are provided. Theoretical and practical aspects of the field are highlighted.

Precious Metals 1982 presents the variety of technical innovations in the application of precious metals. This book discusses the advances in recovery and refining and analysis of precious metals. Organized into 10 parts encompassing 47 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the fundamental experiments to elicit the mode of solidification for a small casting using the investment casting method. This text then describes the various medical uses of silver and its salts with the antibacterial properties of silver ions used in burn therapy, water purification, and to prevent infections. Other chapters consider the practical feasibility of a process involving the reaction of oxygen with gold particles in a potassium cyanide solution to produce potassium gold cyanide. This book discusses as well the major catalytic applications of the precious metals. The final chapter deals with fraud involving gold. This book is a valuable resource for engineers, metallurgists, geologists, jewelers, and goldsmiths.

The future of the precious metals is shiny and resistant. Although expensive and potentially replaceable by transition metal catalysts, precious metal implementation in research and industry shows potential. These metals catalyze oxidation and hydrogenation due to their dissociative behavior toward hydrogen and oxygen, dehydrogenation, isomerization, and aromatization, etc. The precious metal catalysts, especially platinum-based catalysts, are involved in a variety of industrial processes. Examples include Pt-Rh gauze for nitric acid production, the Pt/Al2O3 catalyst for cyclohexane and propylene production, and Pd/Al2O3 catalysts for petrochemical hydropurification reactions, etc. A quick search of the number of published articles in the last five years containing a combination of corresponding “metals” (Pt, Pd, Ru, Rh and Au) and “catalysts” as keywords indicates the importance of the Pt catalysts, but also the continuous increase in the contribution of Pd and Au. This Special Issue reveals the importance of precious metals in catalysis and focuses on mono- and bi-metallic formulations of any supported precious metals and their promotional catalytic effect of other transition metals. The application of precious metals in diverse reactions, either homogeneous or heterogeneous, and studies of the preparation, characterization, and applications of the supported precious metal catalysts, are presented.