Gold/iron carbonyl clusters as precursors for TiO2 supported catalysts

A series of supported gold/iron catalysts has been prepared from bimetallic carbonyl clusters and characterized to determine how the nature of the precursors and the thermal treatment conditions affected the dispersion of the active phase and the catalytic activity. The chemical–physical characterization, and the catalytic tests carried out, evidenced that the deposition of bimetallic Au/Fe carbonyl clusters on a titania support, and their following controlled decomposition, is a way to obtain stable catalysts, active in the decomposition of toluene.