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At least 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2019

Anticancer activities of novel Mannich bases against prostate cancer cells

This study was designed to synthesize hybridizing molecules starting from compound of 6-(4-phenyl-piperazin-1-yl)pyridine-3-ylamine by enhancing its biological activity with other heterocycles and to determine anticancer activity of the resulting compounds. To this end, 6-(4-phenylpiperazin-1-yl)pyridin-3-ylamine (4) was used as the leading compound, which is known to exert anticancer activities. The synthesis of the leading compound was carried out using 1-(5-nitropyridin-2-yl)-4-phenylpiperazine (3) which was obtained by a novel method with the reaction of N-phenylpiperazine (2) and 2-chloro-5-nitropyridine. 6-(4-phenylpiperazin-1-yl)pyridin-3-ylamine (4) was converted to compound 5, an active intermediate compound, by substitution of one of the amine hydrogens with ethyl bromoacetate. The resulting ester product (5) followed by the hydrazidation (6) was added arylisocyanate to obtain the active intermediate (8). Then, by a series of substitution through cyclization and condensation reactions, thiazolidinone (9), 1,3,4-oxadiazole (7), and 1,2,4-triazole (10) were synthesized. Novel Mannich bases (11a–11f and 12a–12f) were obtained using oxazole (7) and triazole (10) hetero rings with primer or secondary amine compounds. The characterization of the compounds was completed using FT IR, {sup 1}H-NMR, {sup 13}C-NMR, HRMS spectroscopic methods and elemental analysis technique. The chemicals, then, were tested for their anticancer activities against prostate cancer cell lines PC3 [ATCC, CRL-1435], LNCaP [ATCC, CRL-1740], and DU145 [ATCC, HTB-81]. The results revealed that the Mannich bases exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity against cancer cells tested.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Identification and quantification of distinct active sites in Hf-Beta zeolites for transfer hydrogenation catalysis

Despite the significant progress made in characterizing different framework heteroatom sites that exist in Lewis acidic zeolites with probe molecule adsorption and spectroscopy, methods to reliably quantify site counts remain indefinite and have been primarily limited to Sn and Ti Lewis acid sites. Here, methods to quantify framework Lewis acidic Hf 4+ sites in zeolite Beta (Hf-Beta) with two Lewis base titrants (pyridine, deuterated acetonitrile) were developed using infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Lewis acid site counts for Hf-Beta zeolites were validated by measuring integrated molar extinction coefficients (IMECs; ε, cm μmol –1 ) on Sn-Beta zeolites using identical Lewis base titrants to benchmark site counts with established literature procedures to quantify Lewis acid sites in Beta zeolites from IR spectra. Highlighting the importance of benchmarking active site counts against well-established experimental protocols, IMECs of CD 3 CN bound to open (ε(Sn; 2316 cm –1 ): 1.80 ± 0.25) and closed (ε(Sn; 2308 cm –1 ): 3.76 ± 0.33) Sn sites were ~1.8x larger than those previously reported while total Lewis acid site counts agreed with those measured by pyridine (ε(Sn; 1451 cm –1 ): 1.58 ± 0.16) on six different Sn-Beta zeolites. IMECs measured for IR peaks reflecting pyridine bound to Lewis acidic Hf sites (ε(Hf; 1448 cm –1 ): 1.54 ± 0.21) and CD 3 CN bound to open (ε(Hf; 2313 cm –1 ): 2.40 ± 0.22) and closed (ε(Hf; 2307 cm –1 ): 3.55 ± 0.41) Hf sites, gave similar counts for the total number of Lewis acidic sites across six Hf-Beta zeolites (Si/Hf = 100–413). Consistent with previous reports with Sn-Beta catalysts where open Sn sites are responsible for catalytic turnover, apparent first and zero-order MPVO rate constants (0.01–1 M cyclohexanone in 2-butanol; per total Hf, 373 K) correlated with the total number of open Hf sites, per total Hf, but not with the total number of closed Hf sites or total Lewis acid site counts. Measured initial MPVO rates (0.1 M cyclohexanone in 2-butanol, per open Hf, 373 K) were ~25x higher on hydrophobic Hf-Beta-F than on hydrophilic Hf-Beta-OH zeolites. Overall, the apparent first-order MPVO rate constants (2-butanol solvent, per open Hf, 373 K) were ~6x higher on Hf-Beta-F than on Hf-Beta-OH zeolites. The characterization methods reported here enable normalization of MPVO turnover rates on Sn- and Hf-Beta zeolites by their number of open sites. Finally, this enables performing quantitative rate comparisons across Lewis acid zeolites of varying active site identity, solvation, and pore topology used in liquid-phase catalysis.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Syntheses, characterization and properties of silver, copper and palladium complexes from bis(oxazoline)-containing ligands

The reactions of 2,6-di(2-oxazolyl)pyridine (L{sup 1}) and 2,6-bis[(S)-4-phenyl-2-oxazolyl]pyridine (L{sup 2}) with silver, copper and palladium salts to yield six new complexes: ([Ag{sub 5}(L{sup 1}){sub 5}](BF{sub 4}){sub 5}){sub n} (1), ([Ag(L{sup 1})](SbF{sub 6})){sub n} (2), [Cu{sub 4}I{sub 4}(L{sup 1}){sub 2}] (3), [Cu{sub 6}I{sub 6}(L{sup 1}){sub 2}] (4), [Pd(L′{sup 1})(OAc)] (5), [Pd(L′{sup 2})Cl] (6), which were fully characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, IR, elemental and thermogravimetric analyses. 1 and 2 are a pair of Ag-oxazoline helical chain structure complexes. The spiral directions of chains are opposite in 1, while identical in 2; the measurement of CD spectra can further confirm their meso and chiral structures. Complexes 3 and 4 show eight-nuclear and twelve-nuclear iodine–cuprous cluster structure. Their structural diversity is induced by different molar ratios of CuI:L{sup 1}. Complexes 5 and 6 are discrete mononuclear palladium complexes. In situ oxazolyl-ring-opening reactions take place in the syntheses of them and the L{sup 1} and the L{sup 2} were transformed to their oxazolyl-ring opened derivatives L′{sup 1} and L′{sup 2}. Moreover, fluorescence, non-linear optical properties, and ferroelectric properties have been investigated. - Graphical abstract: 2,6-di(2-oxazolyl)pyridine (L{sup 1}) reacts with silver and copper salts to yield helical and cluster structure complexes. - Highlights: • Helical and cluster structure complexes. • In situ oxazolyl-ring-opening reactions. • Fluorescence, non-linear optical properties, and ferroelectric properties.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Pyrolyzed Triazine-Based Nanoporous Frameworks Enable Electrochemical CO 2 Reduction in Water

The first study of rational synthesis of triazine-based nanoporous frameworks as electrocatalysts for CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) was presented. The resulting optimized framework with rich pyridinic nitrogen-containing sites can selectively reduce CO 2 to CO in water with a high Faradic efficiency of ca. 82% under a moderate overpotential of 560 mV. The key of our success lies in the use of pyridine-based backbones as sacrificial groups inside the triazine framework for in situ generation of CO 2 RR-active pyridinic N-doped sites during the high-temperature ZnCl 2 -promoted polymerization process. We anticipate that this study may facilitate new possibilities for the development of porous organic polymers for electrochemical conversion of CO 2 .

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

Mechanistic Role of the Proton–Hydride Pair in Heteroarene Catalytic Hydrogenation

Kinetic and density functional theory studies probe the catalytic involvements of proton–hydride pairs in breaking the strong aromaticity of N-containing heteroarenes (pyridine and pyrrole) on sulfided Ru cluster surfaces. Under the sulfur chemical potentials relevant to hydrodenitrogenation catalysis, Ru clusters remain covered with a layer of sulfur-deficient RuSx on which a variety of reactive hydrogen species, which bind to Ru 4+ , S 2– , or Ru 4+ –S as Ru 4+ –(H δ– ), S 2– –(H δ+ ), and Ru 4+ –(SH 2 ), respectively, coexist. These reactive hydrogen species exhibit either proton or hydride character, depending on the electronegativity of their ligands (ruthenium and sulfur). For this reason, they participate in different hydrogen addition steps during the hydrogenation of heterocyclic-N compounds. Pyridine as the basic and pyrrole as the nonbasic heterocyclic model compounds undergo hydrogenation via distinctly different kinetically relevant steps because of their different proton affinities, which influence their interactions with the various reactive hydrogen species and in turn adsorption configurations. The hydrogenation of pyridine initiates from an initial, quasi-equilibrated proton attack onto the N atom, followed by a second hydridic hydrogen addition as the kinetically relevant step. In the contrasting case of pyrrole, the hydrogenation initiates via a kinetically relevant proton attack to its β-carbon that breaks its aromaticity before a hydride addition onto its α-carbon. Both reactions require a proton attack followed by a hydride attack, but their mechanistic differences lead to contrasting rate dependences with H 2 S pressure because the H 2 S pressure, together with H 2 pressure, gives the H 2 S:H 2 ratio that dictates the sulfur chemical potentials, the relative abundance of S anions and Ru cations coordinating to the hydrogen species, and in turn the surface concentrations of proton and hydride intermediates on Ru cluster surfaces. Finally, the catalytic involvements of proton–hydride pairs described here are general for hydrogenation reactions and, in particular, heteroarene hydrogenation in hydrotreatment processes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

CO Reduction to Ethylene and Cyclopropane via a Trappable Ruthenium Methylidene

Ruthenium complexes based on cis-[Ru(bpy) 2 (CO) 2 ] 2+ (bpy is 2,2′-bipyridine) can reduce CO 2 and CO to C 1 products including methanol, but access to products containing C–C bonds has been elusive. A reaction pathway to convert CO into multicarbon products ethylene and cyclopropane is presented here, along with mechanistic studies elucidating the key intermediates in C–C bond formation. The ruthenium hydroxymethyl complex [Ru(bpy′) 2 (CO)(CH 2 OH)] + (bpy′ = 5,5′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine) undergoes protonolysis to generate the ethylene complex [Ru(bpy′) 2 (CO)(C 2 H 4 )] 2+ even at −80 °C, with free ethylene released upon warming to room temperature. Experimental evidence implicates a highly electrophilic methylidene complex [Ru(bpy′) 2 (CO)(CH 2 )] 2+ as the key intermediate. The methylidene was successfully trapped with nitriles and pyridine, forming adducts (ylide complexes) that each have a unique reactivity profile. With an appropriate nitrile, the adduct can be characterized at low temperature before warming generates ethylene. A more stable pyridine adduct [Ru(bpy′) 2 (CO)(CH 2 pyridine)] 2+ was crystallographically characterized. Even ethylene itself is sufficiently nucleophilic to react with the electrophilic methylidene, revealing a route from CO to the C 3 hydrocarbon cyclopropane. Furthermore, the methods for controlling the reactivity of hydroxymethyl and methylidene complexes toward C–C bond formation can inform the development of CO and CO 2 reduction catalysts.

Carbene Compounds↗
DOE OSTI2020

An Adaptable N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Macrocycle Hosting Copper in Three Oxidation States

Abstract A neutral hybrid macrocycle with two trans ‐positioned N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) and two pyridine donors hosts copper in three oxidation states (+I–+III) in a series of structurally characterized complexes ( 1 – 3 ). Redox interconversion of [LCu] +/2+/3+ is electrochemically (quasi)reversible and occurs at moderate potentials ( E 1/2 =−0.45 V and +0.82 V (vs. Fc/Fc + )). A linear C NHC ‐Cu‐C NHC arrangement and hemilability of the two pyridine donors allows the ligand to adapt to the different stereoelectronic and coordination requirements of Cu I versus Cu II /Cu III . Analytical methods such as NMR, UV/Vis, IR, electron paramagnetic resonance, and Cu Kβ high‐energy‐resolution fluorescence detection X‐ray absorption spectroscopies, as well as DFT calculations, give insight into the geometric and electronic structures of the complexes. The XAS signatures of 1 – 3 are textbook examples for Cu I , Cu II , and Cu III species. Facile 2‐electron interconversion combined with the exposure of two basic pyridine N sites in the reduced Cu I form suggest that [LCu] +/2+/3+ may operate in catalysis via coupled 2 e − /2 H + transfer.

Liu, Yang↗
DOE OSTI2025

A Diazo Linker Ligand Promotes Flexibility and Induced Fit Binding in a Microporous Copper Coordination Network

Abstract Flexible organic linkers represent an intuitive and effective strategy to design flexible metal–organic materials. We report herein a systematic study concerning the effect of varying the central bond of mixed pyridyl‐benzoate linkers, L, upon the flexibility of three isostructuralkddtopology microporous coordination networks (CNs) of formula ML 2 :X‐kdd‐1‐Cu,1= L = (E)‐4‐(pyridin‐4‐yldiazenyl)benzoate;X‐kdd‐2‐Cu,2= L = (E)‐4‐(2‐(pyridin‐4‐yl)vinyl)benzoate; the previously reportedX‐kdd‐3‐Cu,3= L = 4‐(pyridin‐4‐ylethynyl)benzoate. As revealed by single crystal x‐ray diffraction (SCXRD) and gas sorption studies,X‐kdd‐1‐Cu, exhibited gate‐opening during CO 2 and hydrocarbon (C2 and C8) sorption experiments whereas the other two CNs did not. Insight into these phase transformations was gained from in situ variable‐pressure and variable temperature powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), SCXRD, and modeling. Rotation of ligand1around the diazo bond, torsion angle changes between phenyl and carboxylate moieties, and deformation of the Cu‐based rod building blocks enabled activatedX‐kdd‐1‐Cuto form new phases with C8 isomers and CH 2 Cl 2 , CH 2 Cl 2 inducing contraction of the activated phase. Computational studies suggest that1enables flexibility thanks to its lower barrier of deformation versus2or3. This study teaches that diazo moieties could offer a general strategy to enhance the flexibility of CNs.

Chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2019

Manganese Mediated Formic Acid Dehydrogenation

A robust and rapid manganese formic acid (FA) dehydrogenation catalyst is reported. The manganese is supported by the recently developed, hybrid backbone chelate ligand tBu PNNOP ( tBu PNNOP=2,6–(di– tert –butylphosphinito)(di– tert –butylphosphinamine)pyridine) (1) and the catalyst is readily prepared with MnBrCO 5 to form [( tBu PNNOP)Mn(CO) 2 ][Br] (2). Dehydrohalogenation of 2 generated the neutral five coordinate complex ( tBu PNNOP)Mn(CO) 2 (3). Dehydrogenation of FA by 2 and 3 was found to be highly efficient, exhibiting turnover frequencies (TOFs) exceeding 8500 h –1 , rivaling many noble metal systems. The parent chelate, tBu PONOP ( tBu PONOP=2,6–bis(di– tert –butylphosphinito)pyridine) or tBu PNNNP ( tBu PNNNP=2,6–bis (di– tert –butylphosphinamine)pyridine), coordination complexes of Mn were synthesized, respectively affording [( tBu PONOP)Mn(CO) 2 ][Br] (4) and [( tBu PNNNP)Mn(CO) 2 ][Br] (5). In conclusion, FA dehydrogenation with the hybrid–ligand supported 2 exhibits superior catalysis to 4 and 5.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Catalytic Oxygen Evolution from Manganese Complexes with an Oxidation-Resistant N,N,O-Donor Ligand

There is great interest in developing Mn water-splitting catalysts due to their low cost, abundance, and relevance to the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC). Three ligands with highly donating pyridine alkoxide moieties, including 2-(pyridin-2-yl)propan-2-ol (pyalkH), 2,2'-(pyridine-2,6-diyl)bis(propan-2-ol) (py-dialkH 2 ), and 2-[(2,2'-bipyridin)-6-yl]propan-2-ol (bipy-alkH), have been screened with Mn for oxygen-evolution catalysis. Complexes with the ligand bipy-alkH were shown to evolve O 2 when driven by Oxone (potassium peroxymonosulfate). The catalytic mixture generated from the precursor complex [Mn(bipy-alkH)Cl 2 ] retained activity in unbuffered solution beyond 160 h.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Quantification of active sites in yttrium containing dealuminated Beta zeolites during conversion of ethanol and acetaldehyde to butadiene

Here, in this work, yttrium containing dealuminated Beta zeolites (Y/deAlBeta) were synthesized and characterized by various spectroscopic techniques to improve understanding of ethanol upgrading over these materials. Characterization results indicate yttrium atoms partially condense with framework silanol nests formed during dealumination of parent Al-Beta supports. Active sites for conversion of ethanol and acetaldehyde to butadiene were quantified on a series of Y/deAlBeta catalysts (0.1–10 wt% yttrium) via ex situ chemisorption and transmission Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy measurements by first measuring the integrated molar extinction coefficient (IMEC) for pyridine bound to Lewis acidic yttrium sites. In situ titrations with pyridine demonstrate that the number of sites quantified by ex situ chemisorption IR is quantitatively similar to the number of sites that catalyze butadiene formation, which varies (from 0.05 to 0.35) across the series of catalysts. In situ pyridine titrations impact butadiene site time yields (STY), but not crotonaldehyde STY, indicating that a distribution of yttrium sites is present, and that discrete yttrium site types participate in distinct steps in the pathway from ethanol to butadiene. Apparent kinetic parameters including activation energies and reaction orders were measured, these suggest differences in reactant (or reactant-derived intermediate) surface coverages result in higher STYs (per mol Y or per Lewis acidic Y site) for samples with low Y loadings relative to those with higher Y loadings. Isotopic labeling experiments evince the existence of other kinetically relevant steps in addition to the crotonaldehyde transformation to crotyl alcohol. Together, these findings provide further guidance into the heterogeneities in site structures in yttrium-containing zeolites and their relevance for the various steps in the pathway from ethanol to C 4 products useful for production of sustainable aviation fuel and renewable butadiene.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Synthesis and Characterization of a Tetrapodal NO 4 4– Ligand and Its Transition Metal Complexes

In this paper, we present the synthesis and characterization of alkali metal salts of the new tetraanionic, tetrapodal ligand 2,2'-(pyridine-2,6-diyl)bis(2-methylmalonate) (A4[PY(CO 2 ) 4 ], A = Li + , Na + , K + , and Cs + ), via deprotection of the neutral tetrapodal ligand tetraethyl 2,2'-(pyridine-2,6-diyl)bis(2-methylmalonate) (PY(CO2Et) 4 ). The [PY(CO 2 ) 4 ] 4- ligand is composed of an axial pyridine and four equatorial carboxylate groups and must be kept at or below 0 °C to prevent decomposition. Exposing it to a number of divalent first-row transition metals cleanly forms complexes to give the series K 2 [(PY(CO 2 ) 4 )M(H 2 O)] (M = Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Zn 2+ ). The metal complexes were comprehensively characterized via single-crystal X-ray diffraction,1H NMR and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. Crystal structures reveal that [PY(CO 2 ) 4 ] 4- coordinates in a pentadentate fashion to allow for a nearly ideal octahedral coordination geometry upon binding an exogenous water ligand. Additionally, depending on the nature of the charge-balancing countercation (Li + , Na + , or K + ), the [(PY(CO 2 ) 4 )M(H 2 O)] 2- complexes can assemble in the solid state to form one-dimensional channels filled with water molecules. Aqueous electrochemistry performed on [(PY(CO 2 ) 4 )M(H 2 O)] 2- suggested accessible trivalent oxidation states for the Fe, Co, and Ni complexes, and the trivalent Co 3+ species [(PY(CO 2 ) 4 )Co(OH)] 2- could be isolated via chemical oxidation. Finally, the successful synthesis of the [PY(CO 2 ) 4 ] 4- ligand and its transition metal complexes illustrates the still-untapped versatility within the tetrapodal ligand family, which may yet hold promise for the isolation of more reactive and higher-valent metal complexes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

Synthesis and Reactivity of Palladium(II) Alkyl Complexes that Contain Phosphine-cyclopentanesulfonate Ligands

The synthesis of the phosphine-cyclopentanesulfonate pro-ligands Li/K[2-PPh 2 -cyclopentanesulfonate] (Li/K[2a]), Li/K[2-P(2-OMe-Ph) 2 -cyclopentanesulfonate] (Li/K[2b]), and H[2b], and the corresponding Pd(II) alkyl complexes (κ 2 - P , O -2a)PdMe(pyridine) (3a) and (κ 2 - P , O -2b)PdMe(pyridine) (3b) is described herein. The sulfonate-bridged base-free dimer {(2b)PdMe} 2 (4b) was synthesized by abstraction of pyridine from 3b using B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 . The borane-coordinated base-free dimer [{2b·B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 }PdMe] 2 (5b), in which B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 binds to a sulfonate oxygen, was prepared by addition of 1 equiv of B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 per Pd to 4b or addition of 2 equiv of B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 to 3b. Compounds 3b, 4b, and 5b polymerize ethylene with low activity (up to 210 kg mol –1 h –1 at 250 psi and 80 °C) to linear polyethylene ( M n = 1950–5250 Da) with predominantly internal olefin placements. 3b and 4b copolymerize ethylene with methyl acrylate to linear copolymers that contain up to 11.7 mol % methyl acrylate, which is incorporated as –CH 2 CH(CO 2 Me)CH 2 – (80%) in-chain units and –CH 2 CH(CO 2 Me)Me (8%) and –CH 2 CH=CH(CO 2 Me) (12%) chain-end units. 3b and 4b also copolymerize ethylene with vinyl fluoride to linear copolymers that contain up to 0.41 mol % vinyl fluoride, which is incorporated as –CH 2 CHFCH 2 – (~80%) in-chain units and –CH 2 CF 2 H (7%), –CH 2 CHFCH 3 (5%), and –CH 2 CH 2 F (8%) chain-end units. Complexes 3b and 4b are more stable and active in ethylene polymerization than analogous (PAr 2 - CH 2 CH 2 SO 3 )PdR catalysts, but are less active than analogous (PAr 2 - arene sulfonate)PdR catalysts. Low-temperature NMR studies show that 4b reacts with ethylene below -10 °C to form the ethylene adduct cis - P , R -(2b)PdMe(ethylene) (7b), which undergoes ethylene insertion at 5 °C. DFT calculations for a model (PMe 2 -cyclopentanesulfonate)Pd(Pr)(ethylene) species show that ethylene insertion proceeds by cis - P , R / trans - P , R isomerization followed by migratory insertion, and that the lower activity of 3b and 4b vis-à-vis analogous (PAr 2 -arenesulfonate)PdR catalysts results from a higher barrier for migratory insertion of the trans - P , R isomer.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

Manganese–Cobalt Oxido Cubanes Relevant to Manganese-Doped Water Oxidation Catalysts

Incorporation of Mn into an established water oxidation catalyst based on a Co(III) 4 O 4 cubane was achieved by a simple and efficient assembly of permanganate, cobalt(II) acetate, and pyridine to form the cubane oxo cluster MnCo 3 O 4 (OAc) 5 py 3 (OAc = acetate, py = pyridine) (1-OAc) in good yield. This allows characterization of electronic and chemical properties for a manganese center in a cobalt oxide environment, and provides a molecular model for Mn-doped cobalt oxides. The electronic properties of the cubane are readily tuned by exchange of the OAc - ligand for Cl - (1-Cl), NO 3 - (1-NO 3 ), and pyridine ([1-py] + ). EPR spectroscopy, SQUID magnetometry, and DFT calculations thoroughly characterized the valence assignment of the cubane as [Mn IV Co III 3 ]. These cubanes are redox-active, and calculations reveal that the Co ions behave as the reservoir for electrons, but their redox potentials are tuned by the choice of ligand at Mn. This MnCo 3 O 4 cubane system represents a new class of easily prepared, versatile, and redox-active oxido clusters that should contribute to an understanding of mixed-metal, Mn-containing oxides.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

Single Atomic Iron Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction in Acidic Media: Particle Size Control and Thermal Activation

It remains a grand challenge to replace platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts with earth-abundant materials for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in acidic media, which is crucial for large-scale deployment of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Here, we report a high-performance atomic Fe catalyst derived from chemically Fe-doped zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) by directly bonding Fe ions to imidazolate ligands within 3D frameworks. Although the ZIF was identified as a promising precursor, the new synthetic chemistry enables the creation of well-dispersed atomic Fe sites embedded into porous carbon without the formation of aggregates. The size of catalyst particles is tunable through synthesizing Fe-doped ZIF nanocrystal precursors in a wide range from 20 to 1000 nm followed by one-step thermal activation. Similar to Pt nanoparticles, the unique size control without altering chemical properties afforded by this approach is able to increase the number of PGM-free active sites. The best ORR activity is measured with the catalyst at a size of 50 nm. Further size reduction to 20 nm leads to significant particle agglomeration, thus decreasing the activity. Using the homogeneous atomic Fe model catalysts, we elucidated the active site formation process through correlating measured ORR activity with the change of chemical bonds in precursors during thermal activation up to 1100 °C. The critical temperature to form active sites is 800 °C, which is associated with a new Fe species with a reduced oxidation number (from Fe3+ to Fe2+) likely bonded with pyridinic N (FeN4) embedded into the carbon planes. Further increasing the temperature leads to continuously enhanced activity, linked to the rise of graphitic N and Fe–N species. The new atomic Fe catalyst has achieved respectable ORR activity in challenging acidic media (0.5 M H2SO4), showing a half-wave potential of 0.85 V vs RHE and leaving only a 30 mV gap with Pt/C (60 μgPt/cm2). Enhanced stability is attained with the same catalyst, which loses only 20 mV after 10 000 potential cycles (0.6–1.0 V) in O2 saturated acid. The high-performance atomic Fe PGM-free catalyst holds great promise as a replacement for Pt in future PEMFCs.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

Organic layer formation and sorption of U(VI) on acetamide diethylphosphonate-functionalized mesoporous silica

Acetamide diethylphosphonate (AcPhos)-functionalized silica has been shown to have a high affinity for U(vi) in pH 2-3 nitric acid. Previous work with AcPhos-functionalized silica has focused on actinide and lanthanide extraction under various conditions, but has shown poor reproducibility in the functionalization process. For this work, four AcPhos-functionalized SBA-15 materials were synthesized and evaluated based on their U(vi) sorption capacity and their stability in nitric acid. Materials synthesized using pyridine as a basic catalyst were shown to form a greater fraction of polymeric structures at the silica surface, which correlated with higher structural integrity upon contact with acidic solutions. Single-pulse 31 P and 1 H NMR spectra of these materials show evidence of phosphonic acid groups, as well as hydrogen-bonding interactions either between ligands or with the silica surface. Additionally, these materials were found to have significantly higher U(vi) sorption capacities and K eq values than the materials synthesized without pyridine, most likely due to the ion-exchange properties of the phosphonic acid groups. The 31 P- 31 P DQ-DRENAR NMR technique was used to compare the average strength of dipolar coupling interactions between phosphorus atoms for the four materials. Because the strength of dipolar coupling interactions depends on the number and proximity of neighboring spins, this technique provides information about the average density of ligands on the surface. Finally, the conventional functionalization procedure yielded materials with the lowest average surface ligand density, while those using extended reaction times and the pyridine base catalyst yielded materials with higher surface ligand densities.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Structural stability and O{sub 2} dissociation on nitrogen-doped graphene with transition metal atoms embedded: A first-principles study

By using first-principles calculations, we investigate the structural stability of nitrogen-doped (N-doped) graphene with graphitic-N, pyridinic-N and pyrrolic-N, and the transition metal (TM) atoms embedded into N-doped graphene. The structures and energetics of TM atoms from Sc to Ni embedded into N-doped graphene are studied. The TM atoms at N{sub 4}V {sub 2} forming a 4N-centered structure shows the strongest binding and the binding energies are more than 7 eV. Finally, we investigate the catalytic performance of N-doped graphene with and without TM embedding for O{sub 2} dissociation, which is a fundamental reaction in fuel cells. Compared to the pyridinic-N, the graphitic-N is more favorable to dissociate O{sub 2} molecules with a relatively low reaction barrier of 1.15 eV. However, the catalytic performance on pyridinic-N doped structure can be greatly improved by embedding TM atoms, and the energy barrier can be reduced to 0.61 eV with V atom embedded. Our results provide the stable structure of N-doped graphene and its potential applications in the oxygen reduction reactions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Sterically attenuated electronic communication in cobalt complexes of meridional isoquinoline-derived ligands for applications in electrocatalysis

The ability to synthetically tune the ligand frameworks of redox-active molecules is of critical importance to the economy of solar fuels because manipulating their redox properties can afford control over the operating potentials of sustained electrocatalytic or photoelectrocatalytic processes. The electronic and steric properties of 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (Terpy) ligand frameworks can be tuned by functional group substitution on ligand backbones, and these correlate strongly to their Hammett parameters. The synthesis of a new series of tridentate meridional ligands of 2,4,6-trisubstituted pyridines that engineers the ability to finely tune the redox potentials of cobalt complexes to more positive potentials than that of their Terpy analogs is achieved by aryl-functionalizing at the four-position and by including isoquinoline at the two- and six-positions of pyridine (Aryl-DiQ). Their cobalt complex syntheses, their electronic properties, and their catalytic activity for carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction are reported and compared to their Terpy analogs. The cobalt derivatives generally experience a positive shift in their redox features relative to the Terpy-based analogs, covering a complementary potential range. Although those evaluated fail to produce any quantifiable products for the reduction of CO2 and suffer from long-term instability, these results suggest possible alternate strategies for stabilizing these compounds during catalysis. We speculate that lower equilibrium association constants to the cobalt center are intrinsic to these ligands, which originate from a steric interaction between protons on the pyridine and isoquinoline moieties. Nevertheless, the new Aryl-DiQ ligand framework has been engineered to selectively tune homoleptic cobalt complexes’ redox potentials.

Chemistry↗