Construction of Ru single-atom catalyst with abundant Ru-N active domains for highly efficient acetylene hydrochlorination.

• Isolated Ru SACs supported by mesoporous N-doped carbon nanospheres were prepared. • Single-site-dispersed Ru-N-C domains were constructed by metal-support interactions. • The Ru–N–C structure enhanced the adsorption and activation of reactants. • DFT calculation shows that Ru–N–C active domains reduce the reaction energy barrier. Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have sparked gigantic attention due to their high activity, atomic utilization, and unique metal–host coordination environment. A hard-template method with Lewis acid modification strategy was adopted to obtain mesoporous N-doped carbon nanospheres as the host to prepare a Ru SAC for acetylene hydrochlorination. The single site scattered Ru-N-C active structure constructed by the interaction between the metal–support and the heteroatom-rich mesoporous g-NC nanosphere material provides a rich defect structure that promotes the mass transfer of reactants and products. Furthermore, the N-doped support anchors, disperses and modulates the catalytic active domains, stabilizing their active state and enhancing the adsorption and activation of initial reactants. As a result, the obtained Ru SAC possesses excellent catalytic properties and lasting life in a 500-h test, which render it highly promising for industrial applications. Moreover, the clarified catalytic mechanism provides a reference for the preparation of other SACs. Efficient acetylene hydrochlorination:The single-site-dispersed Ru-N-C local active centers facilitate the mass transfer of reactants and products, modulate the electronic properties of the metal centers, stabilizing their active state and improving the adsorption and activation of reactant molecules. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]