The Role Catalysts In Chemical Reactions, Their Importance In Industry, Problems And New Developments

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hydrated ions, for example H3O+, but more commonly they are released from
ionisable hydroxyl groups (R-OH) where the O-H bond is broken to produce R-O-
and H+. When the reactant receives protons from an acid it undergoes a
conformational change, (change in shape and configuration), and becomes a
reactive intermediate. The intermediate can then either become an isomer by
returning a proton to the catalyst, or it may undergo a further reaction and
form a completely new molecule.

Up until the mid - 1960's silica-alumina gels were used to catalyse the cracking
of hydrocarbons. This form of cracking is where the large molecules in oil are
converted into small, highly volatile molecules. However because the size of the
pores of silica-alumina gels was so variable, (ranging from 0.1nm to 50nm), and
the fact that their shape was so variable, they were hardly ideal catalysts. Due
to the large size of their cavities, large carbonaceous products were able to
form in the cavities thus ...

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