On the occasion of his 80th birthday,
we take stock of the remarkable
and ongoing career of Professor Bruce C. Gates. This Account highlights
his key scientific achievements in three areas of significance: supported
metal clusters and atomically dispersed metal complexes, hydroprocessing
reaction networks and catalysts, and strong acid catalysis. His contributions
in all three areas are noteworthy and have been sustained over 50
years. The work of his group evolved from mainly catalyst synthesis
and reaction studies to also incorporate sophisticated characterization
techniques based on X-ray absorption spectroscopies and improved scanning
transmission electron microscopic examination of catalytic surfaces.
In the course of this work, he has addressed, and contributed to the
solutions of some of the most significant and challenging problems
in catalysis of the last half century.