Speaker: Juliane Heitkämper, PhD: Universität Stuttgart, now: German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Understanding catalytic reaction mechanisms is essential for the rational design of more efficient and selective catalysts. This requires detailed insights into fundamental reaction steps, energy barriers, and the kinetic factors that govern overall performance. This work presents a computational approach that integrates quantum chemical calculations, kinetic modeling, and experimental validation to unravel complex multi-step catalytic cycles. The methodology provides reliable information on elementary steps, activation barriers, and competing pathways, while emphasizing the crucial interplay between theoretical prediction and experimental evidence.