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At least 919 records · Page 51

Extensive urban air pollution footprint evidenced by submicron organic aerosols molecular composition

Transport and transformation of urban air pollutants are among the major factors driving the changes in the atmospheric composition in the downwind rural/remote areas of a megacity. Here, we assess the impacts of urban air pollution in a subtropical forest through characterization of the organic markers in submicron aerosol particles. The aerosol samples were collected and analyzed using TD-PTR-ToF-MS, where 163 ions were detected. The concentration of these extracted ions accounts for 83% of the mass of submicron organic aerosols, which are accordingly characterized by a median formula of C 7 H 10 O 2 . Molecular speciation indicates that urban and biomass burning pollution contributed substantially to the budget of organic aerosols, which were enhanced particularly by the liquid water content and acidity of the aerosols. Our results evidence that the footprint of urban air pollution was extended to its downwind forested areas and caused changes in the concentration and composition of submicron aerosols.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Remarkable NO oxidation on single supported platinum atoms

Our first-principles density functional theoretical modeling suggests that NO oxidation is feasible on fully oxidized single θ-alumina-supported platinum atoms via a modified Langmuir-Hinshelwood pathway. This is in contrast to the known decrease in NO oxidation activity of supported platinum with decreasing Pt particle size believed to be due to increased platinum oxidation. In order to validate our theoretical study, we evaluated single θ-Al 2 O 3 -supported platinum atoms and found them to exhibit remarkable NO oxidation activity. A comparison of turnover frequencies (TOF) of single supported Pt atoms with those of platinum particles for NO oxidation shows that single supported Pt atoms are as active as fully formed platinum particles. The overall picture of NO oxidation on supported Pt is that NO oxidation activity decreases with decreasing Pt particle size but accelerates when Pt is present only as single atoms.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Internal Structure, Hygroscopic and Reactive Properties of Mixed Sodium Methanesulfonate-Sodium Chloride Particles

Internal structures, hygroscopic properties and heterogeneous reactivity of mixed CH3SO3Na/NaCl particles were investigated using a combination of computer modeling and experimental approaches. Surfactant properties of CH3SO3 ions and their surface accumulation in wet, deliquesced particles were assessed using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and surface tension measurements. Internal structures of dry CH3SO3Na/NaCl particles were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) assisted with X-ray microanalysis mapping, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). The combination of these techniques shows that dry CH3SO3Na/NaCl particles are composed of a NaCl core surrounded by a CH3SO3Na shell. Hygroscopic growth, deliquescence and efflorescence phase transitions of mixed CH3SO3Na/NaCl particles were determined and compared to those of pure NaCl particles. These results indicate that particles undergo a two step deliquescence transition: first at ~69% relative humidity (RH) the CH3SO3Na shell takes up water, and then at ~75% RH the NaCl core deliquesces. Reactive uptake coefficients for the particle HNO3 heterogeneous reaction were determined at different CH3SO3Na/NaCl mixing ratios and RH. The net reaction probability decreased notably with increasing CH3SO3Na and at lower RH.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗

Combatting Ionic Aggregation using Dielectric Forces Combining Modeling/Simulation and Experimental Results to Explain End-capping of Primary Amine Functionalized Polystyrene

Chain-end functionalization of living poly(styryl)lithium using 1-(3-bromopropyl)-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclo-pentane (BTDP) to generate primary amine end-functionalized polystyrene was investigated using high vacuum anionic polymerization techniques. 13C NMR spectroscopy and Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) were used to evaluate polymer end-groups and demonstrated that quantitative amine functionalized polymer was attained under appropriate reaction conditions. In general, the polymerization of styrene was conducted in benzene and the end-capping reaction was performed by adding tetrahydrofuran (THF) to the reaction prior to the addition of BTDP in THF at room temperature. Results indicated that approximately 20% THF by volume is required to obtain 100% end-capping free from side reactions. When too little or no THF was present, side reactions such as lithium halogen exchange followed by Wurtz coupling resulted in unfunctionalized head-to-head dimer as well as other byproducts. Modeling and simulation of the solvent effects using hybrid methods (the so-called QM/MM method) suggest that THF effectively dissociated the anionic chain-end aggregation, thereby resulting in the desired primary amine functionalized polymer. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted to develop an understanding of the physics of counterions involved in the end-functionalization process.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Formate oxidation via β-deprotonation in [Ni(P R 2 N R' 2 ) 2 (CH 3 CN)] 2+ complexes

Recent studies from our laboratories have shown that the [Ni(P R 2 N R' 2 ) 2 (CH 3 CN)] 2+ complexes originally developed as artificial hydrogenases are also active electrocatalysts for formate oxidation (TOF ~16 s -1 ). The focus of the current work is to develop a detailed understanding of the catalytic mechanism, which would aid in the design of improved CO 2 /formate interconversion catalysts. Based on electrochemical and spectroscopic experiments, including data for a new [Ni(P 2 Cy N 2 {sup PhOMe}) 2 (CH 3 CN)] 2+ complex, we propose a mechanism in which the rate-determining step is a proton transfer from the Ni-O 2 CH β-H to the ligand pendant base coupled with a 2e - transfer to Ni(II), circumventing direct hydride transfer to the metal center.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

The effect of the B-site cation and oxygen stoichiometry on the local and average crystal and magnetic structures of Sr2Fe1.9M0.1O5+y (M = Mn, Cr, Co; y = 0, 0.5)

Six compounds with formula Sr2Fe1.9M0.1O5+y (M = Mn, Cr, Co; y = 0, 0.5) were synthesized in air and argon, exhibiting surprisingly different properties depending on the B-cation type in spite of the low (5%) doping level. All argon synthesized phases, y 0, have long range brownmillerite ordering of oxygen vacancies with Icmm symmetry as shown by neutron diffraction (ND). All show long-range G-type antiferromagnetic order with N el temperatures, TN, from variable temperature ND of 649(3)K, 636(2)K and 668(5)K for Cr, Mn and Co-compounds, respectively, compared with Sr2Fe2O5, TN = 693 K. Competing ferromagnetic interactions may be responsible for the anomalously low value in the M = Mn case. The air synthesized phases with y 0.5 show surprising variation with M as investigated by X-ray, TOF and constant wavelength neutron diffractions. The M = Co compound is isostructural with Sr4Fe4O11 (Sr2Fe2O5.5), Cmmm, while the M = Cr phase is cubic, Pm-3m, and that for M = Mn appears to be cubic but the reflections are systematically broadened in a manner which suggests a local Cmmm structure. NPDF studies show that the local structure of the Cr phase is better described in terms of a Cmmm ordering of oxygen vacancies with Fe O coordination numbers of five and six. The M = Co material shows C-type antiferromagnetic long-range magnetic order at 4 K as found for Sr4Fe4O11. TN 230 K is inferred from a ZFC-FC magnetic susceptibility divergence compared with TN = 232 K for un-doped Sr4Fe4O11. The M = Cr and Mn compounds show no long-range magnetic ordering down to 4 K, but the divergence of ZFC and FC susceptibility data indicative of spin glass-like transitions occur at 60 K and 45 K for Cr and Mn, respectively. ND shows both diffuse and sharp Bragg magnetic reflections at positions consistent with a Cmmm cell for the M = Mn phase. For the M = Cr material, a very weak magnetic Bragg peak indexed as (1/2 1/2 1/2), consistent with a G-type AF order, is found at 4 K. These results rule out a spin glass-like ground state for both materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Water oxidation catalysis via immobilization of the dimanganese complex [Mn 2 (μ-O) 2 Cl(μ-O 2 CCH 3 )(bpy) 2 (H 2 O)](NO 3 ) 2 onto silica

Adsorption of a dinuclear μ -oxo bridged Mn complex onto mesoporous silica was observed when SBA15 was treated with an acetonitrile solution of [Mn 2 ( μ -O) 2 Cl( μ -O 2 CCH 3 )(H 2 O)(bpy) 2 ](NO 3 ) 2 ( 1 ). This complex was immobilized via the displacement of NO 3 - into solution, and characterization by spectroscopic (DRIFTS and DRUV-vis) and magnetic data indicates that the intact dication is electrostatically bound to the silica surface. Loadings of up to 4.1% by weight of [Mn 2 ( μ -O) 2 Cl( μ -O 2 CCH 3 )(H 2 O)(bpy) 2 ] 2+ were achieved. TEM images of the grafted material revealed retention of the mesoporous structure of SBA15, and no clusters of manganese greater than ca. 10 nm were observed. The SBA15-supported dimanganese complex functions as a catalyst for the oxidation of H 2 O with (NH 4 ) 2 Ce(NO 3 ) 6 as stoichiometric oxidant. In contrast, homogenous aqueous solutions of 1 do not evolve oxygen upon treatment with (NH 4 ) 2 Ce(NO 3 ) 6 . Labeling studies with H 2 18 O confirm that the oxygen formed in this catalysis is derived from water. Monitoring the O 2 evolution allowed determination of an initial rate for the catalysis (TOF i = 1.1 × 10 -3 s -1 ). Finally, these studies also reveal a first order dependence on manganese surface concentration, and a zero order rate dependence for (NH 4 )Ce(NO 3 ) 6 . Spectroscopic investigations were employed to investigate the difference in activities between dissolved and supported dimanganese complexes.

Rumberger, Evan M. W.↗

First inductively coupled plasma-distance-of-flight mass spectrometer: instrument performance with a microchannel plate/phosphor imaging detector

Here we describe the first combination of a Distance-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (DOFMS) instrument and an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) ion source. DOFMS is a velocity-based MS technique in which ions of a range of mass-to-charge (m/z) values are detected simultaneously along the length of a spatially selective detector. As a relative of time-of-flight (TOF) MS, DOFMS leverages benefits fromboth TOFMS and spatially dispersive MS. The simultaneous detection of groups of m/z values improves dynamic range by spreading ion signal across many detector elements and reduces correlated noise by signal ratioing. To ascertain the performance characteristics of the ICP-DOFMS instrument, we have employed a microchannel-plate/phosphor detection assembly with a scientific CCD to capture images of the phosphor plate. With this simple (and commercially available) detection scheme, elemental detection limits from 2–30 ng L*1 and a linear dynamic range of 5 orders of magnitude (10–106 ng L1) have been demonstrated. Additionally, a competitive isotope-ratio precision of 0.1% RSD has been achieved with only a 6 s signal integration period. In addition to first figures of merit, this paper outlines technical considerations for the design of the ICP-DOFMS.

Gundlach-Graham, Alexander W.↗

Low-temperature aqueous-phase reforming of ethanol on bimetallic PdZn catalysts

Bimetallic PdZn catalysts supported on carbon black (CB) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were found to be selective for CO-free H-2 production from ethanol at low temperature (250 degrees C). On Pd, the H-2 yield was low (similar to 0.3 mol H-2/mol ethanol reacted) and the CH4/CO2 ratio was high (similar to 1.7). Addition of Zn to Pd formed the intermetallic PdZn beta phase (atomic ratio of Zn to Pd is 1) with increased H-2 yield (similar to 1.9 mol H-2/mol ethanol reacted) and CH4/CO2 ratio of <1. The higher H-2 yield and low CH4 formation was related to the improved dehydrogenation activity of the L1(0) PdZn beta phase. The TOF increased with particle size and the CNTs provided the most active and selective catalysts, which may be ascribed to pore-confinement effects. Furthermore, no significant changes in either the supports or the PdZn beta particles was found after aqueous-phase reforming (APR) indicating that the metal nanoparticles and the carbon support are hydrothermally stable in the aqueous phase at elevated temperatures and pressures (>200 degrees C, 65 bar). No CO was detected for all the catalysts performed in aqueous-phase reaction, indicating that both monometallic Pd and bimetallic PdZn catalysts have high water-gas shift activity during APR. However, the yield of H-2 is considerably lower than the theoretical value of 6 H-2 per mole ethanol which is due to the presence of oxygenated products and methane on the PdZn catalysts.

ALKANES↗

Synergistic effects of Ni and acid sites for hydrogenation and C–O bond cleavage of substituted phenols

The cleavage of C–O bonds in phenol, catechol, and guaiacol has been explored with mono- and dualfunctional catalysts containing Ni and/or HZSM-5 in the aqueous phase. The aromatic ring of phenol is hydrogenated in the first step, and the C–O bond of the resulting cyclohexanol is dehydrated in sequence. The initial turnover frequency (TOF) of phenol hydrodeoxygenation increases in parallel with the acid site concentration irrespective of the concentration of the accessible surface Ni atoms. For catechol and guaiacol conversion, Ni catalyzes the hydrogenolysis of the C–O bonds in addition to arene hydrogenation. For catechol, the hydrogenation of the aromatic ring and the hydrogenolysis of the phenolic –OH group occur in parallel with a ratio of 8 : 1. The saturated cyclohexane-1,2-diol can be further dehydrated over HZSM-5 or hydrogenolyzed on Ni to complete hydrodeoxygenation. Guaiacol undergoes primarily hydrogenolysis (75%) to phenol via demethoxylation, and the hydrogenation route accounts for only 25%. This is attributed to the steric effects arising from the adjacent sp3 hybrid O–CH3 group. 2-Methoxycyclohexanol (from guaiacol hydrogenation) reacts further either via hydrogenolysis by Ni to cyclohexanol or via acid catalyzed demethoxylation and rearrangement steps followed by the subsequent hydrogenation of the intermediately formed olefins. On Ni/HZSM-5, the hydrodeoxygenation activities are much higher for the phenolic monomers than for their respective saturated analogues, pointing to the importance of sp2 orbitals. The presence of proximal acid sites increases the activities of Ni in the presence of H2 by a synergistic action.

Song, Wenji↗

D 5h [PhSiO 1.5 ] 10 synthesis via F – catalyzed rearrangement of [PhSiO 1.5 ] n . An experimental/computational analysis of likely reaction pathways

We describe here in this paper the synthesis and analysis of the reaction pathways leading to formation of the rare D 5h decaphenylsilsesquioxane (SQ) [PhSiO 1.5 ] 10 via F – catalyzed rearrangement of [PhSiO 1.5 ] n n = 8, 12, and oligomers initially synthesized from PhSi(OEt) 3 . Isolated yields of ~50% [PhSiO 1.5 ] 10 are obtained via rearrangement of all starting materials. The recovered starting materials can be re-equilibrated using catalytic F – to generate similar yields in second batches. These yields arise because [PhSiO 1.5 ] 10 exhibits higher solubility and better energy stabilization (10 kcal mol –1 theory) in CH 2 Cl 2 compared to [PhSiO 1.5 ] 8 or [PhSiO 1.5 ] 12 . Reaction intermediates were identified using time dependent 19 F NMR and MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry eventually equilibrating to form the 8: 10 : 12 cages in a 1 : 3 : 1.3 equilibrium in CH 2 Cl 2 . Experimental results coupled with modeling using the Gamess computational package provide multiple reasonable pathways for SQ rearrangements to [RSiO 1.5 ] 10 , starting from [RSiO 1.5 ] 8 . Heats of reaction for interconversion of the model intermediates [HSiO 1.5 ] x determined computationally, were used to select the most reasonable reaction pathways. The findings support a mechanism involving activation and cleavage of a T 8 cage corner by F – attachment, followed by the corners stepwise removal as [ i.e. RSi(OH) 3 ], followed thereafter by reinsertion forming [RSiO 1.5 ] 9 –OH followed by, insertion of another corner to form [RSiO 1.5 ] 10 –(OH) 2 and finally condensation to give [RSiO 1.5 ] 10 . The most enthalpically favorable path (–24 kcal mol –1 ) involves a hybrid mechanism.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Soft Landing of Bare PtRu Nanoparticles for Electrochemical Reduction of Oxygen

Magnetron sputtering of two independent Pt and Ru targets coupled with inert gas aggregation in a modified commercial source has been combined with soft landing of mass-selected ions to prepare bare 4.5 nm diameter PtRu alloy nanoparticles on glassy carbon electrodes with controlled size and morphology for electrochemical reduction of oxygen in solution. Employing atomic force microscopy (AFM) it is shown that the nanoparticles bind randomly to the glassy carbon electrode at a relatively low coverage of 7 x 104 ions µm-2 and that their average height is centered at 4 nm. Scanning transmission electron microscopy images obtained in the high-angle annular dark field mode (STEM-HAADF) further confirm that the soft-landed PtRu alloy nanoparticles are uniform in size and have a Ru core decorated with small regions of Pt on the surface. Wide-area scans of the electrodes using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveal the presence of both Pt and Ru in relative atomic concentrations of ~9% and ~33%, respectively. Deconvolution of the high energy resolution XPS spectra in the Pt4f and Ru3d regions indicates the presence of both oxidized Pt and Ru. The substantially higher loading of Ru compared to Pt and enrichment of Pt at the surface of the alloy nanoparticles is confirmed by wide-area analysis of the electrodes using time-of-flight medium energy ion scattering (TOF-MEIS) employing both 80 keV He+ and O+ ions. The activity of electrodes containing 7 x 104 ions µm-2 of bare 4.5 nm PtRu nanoparticles toward the electrochemical reduction of oxygen was evaluated employing cyclic voltammetry (CV) in 0.1 M HClO4 and 0.5 M H2SO4 solutions. In both electrolytes a pronounced reduction peak was observed during O2 purging of the solution that was not evident during purging with Ar. Repeated electrochemical cycling of the electrodes revealed little evolution in the shape or position of the voltammograms indicating high stability of the alloy nanoparticles supported on glassy carbon. The reproducibility of the nanoparticle synthesis and deposition was evaluated by employing the same experimental parameters to prepare nanoparticles on glassy carbon electrodes on three occasions separated by several days. Surfaces with almost identical electrochemical behavior were observed with CV, demonstrating the highly reproducible preparation of bare alloy nanoparticles using physical synthesis in the gas-phase combined with soft landing of mass-selected ions

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗

Understanding ligand effects in gold clusters using mass spectrometry

This review summarizes recent research on the influence of phosphine ligands on the size, stability, and reactivity of gold clusters synthesized in solution. Sub-nanometer clusters exhibit size- and composition-dependent properties that are unique from those of larger nanoparticles. The highly tunable properties of clusters and their high surface-to-volume ratio make them promising candidates for a variety of technological applications. However, because “each-atom-counts” toward defining cluster properties it is critically important to develop robust synthesis methods to efficiently prepare clusters of predetermined size. For decades phosphines have been known to direct the size-selected synthesis of gold clusters. Despite the preparation of numerous species it is still not understood how different functional groups at phosphine centers affect the size and properties of gold clusters. Using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) it is possible to characterize the effect of ligand substitution on the distribution of clusters formed in solution at defined reaction conditions. In addition, ligand exchange reactions on preformed clusters may be monitored using ESI-MS. Collision induced dissociation (CID) may also be employed to obtain qualitative insight into the fragmentation of mixed ligand clusters and the relative binding energies of differently substituted phosphines. Quantitative ligand binding energies and cluster stability may be determined employing surface induced dissociation (SID) in a custom-built Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR-MS). Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) based modeling of the SID data allows dissociation energies and entropy values to be extracted that may be compared with the results of high-level theoretical calculations. The charge reduction and reactivity of atomically precise gold clusters, including partially ligated species generated in the gas-phase by in source CID, on well-defined surfaces may be explored using ion soft landing (SL) in a custom-built instrument combined with in situ time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). Jointly, this multipronged experimental approach allows characterization of the full spectrum of relevant phenomena including cluster synthesis, ligand exchange, thermochemistry, surface immobilization, and reactivity. The fundamental insights obtained from this work will facilitate the directed synthesis of gold clusters with predetermined size and properties for specific applications.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗

Hydrodeoxygenation of fatty acid esters catalyzed by Ni on nano-sized MFI type zeolites

The impact of support morphology and composition on the intrinsic activity of Ni supported on MFI-type zeolite was explored in the hydrodeoxygenation of methyl stearate, tristearate, and algae oil (mixture of triglycerides). The nano-sized structure of the support (self-pillared nanosheets) is beneficial for the activity of the catalysts. Higher Ni dispersion and concomitant higher reaction rates were obtained on nano-structured supports than on zeolite with conventional morphology. Rates normalized to accessible Ni atoms (TOF), however, varied little with support morphology. Acidity of the support increases the rate of Ni-catalyzed C-O hydrogenolysis per surface metal site.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Evaluating the role of acidic, basic, and polar amino acids and dipeptides on a molecular electrocatalyst for H 2 oxidation

Amino acids and peptides have been shown to have a significant influence on the H2 production and oxidation reactivity of Ni(P R 2 N R’ 2 ) 2 , where P R 2 N R’ 2 = 1,5-diaza-3,7-diphosphacyclooctane, R is either phenyl (Ph) or cyclohexyl (Cy), and R’ is either an amino acid or peptide. Most recently, the Ni(P Cy 2 Naminoacid 2 ) 2 complexes (CyAA) have shown enhanced H 2 oxidation rates, water solubility, and in the case of arginine (CyArg) and phenylalanine (CyPhe), electrocatalytic reversibility. Both the backbone –COOH and side chain interactions were shown to be critical to catalytic performance. Here we further investigate the roles of the outer coordination sphere by evaluating amino acids with acidic, basic, and hydrophilic side chains, as well as dipeptides which combine multiple successful features from previous complexes. Six new complexes were prepared, three containing single amino acids: aspartic acid (CyAsp), lysine (CyLys), and serine (CySer) and three containing dipeptides: glycine-phenylalanine (Cy(GlyPhe)), phenylalanine-glycine (Cy(PheGly)), and aspartic acid-phenylananine (Cy(AspPhe)). The resulting catalytic performance demonstrates that complexes need both interactions between side chain and –COOH groups for fast, efficient catalysis. The fastest of all of the catalysts, Cy(AspPhe), had both of these features, while the other dipeptide complexes with an amide replacing the -COOH were both slower; however, the amide group was demonstrated to participate in the proton pathway when side chain interactions are present to position it. Both the hydrophilic and basic side chains, notably lacking in side chain interactions, significantly increased the overpotential, with only modest increases in TOF. Of all of the complexes, only CyAsp was reversible at room temperature, and only in water, the first of these complexes to demonstrate room temperature reversibility in water. These results continue to provide and solidify design rules for controlling reactivity and efficiency of Ni(P 2 N 2 ) 2 complexes with the outer coordination sphere.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Composition-directed Fe X Mo 2-X P bimetallic catalysts for hydrodeoxygenation reactions

The development of task-specific bimetallic phosphide catalysts can be accomplished by exploiting the electronic and bi-functional effects of multiple metal combinations, thus providing materials with tunable catalytic properties. Here, we present the modulation of metal compositions (i.e., Fe and Mo) in the synthesis of FeXMo 2-X P (0.88 ≤ X ≤ 1.55), leading to a series of iso-structural, orthorhombic Fe X Mo2-XP catalysts via reduction at 750 °C. Hydrodeoxygenation of phenol was selected as a probe reaction to showcase the effect of metal composition on the catalytic performance. In particular, catalysts with Fe compositions between 0.99 and 1.14 (i.e., Fe0. 99 Mo 1.01 P and Fe 1.14 Mo 0.86 P) exhibited high selectivities to C–O bond cleavage of phenol with H2 to form benzene. The catalysts with the highest selectivities to C–O scission also exhibited the highest acidity as determined from NH 3 temperature programmed desorption experiments. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate the high Lewis acidity for the ~1:1 Fe:Mo compositions resulted from a greater charge separation between metallic species and P species. These compositions led to greater selectivities to benzene due to desired coordination environment of the phenol on catalytic surface, as evidenced by both DFT calculations and a time on stream study using a benzonitrile poison. Enhanced TOFs were also observed with catalysts exhibiting greater Lewis acid character, which reduce the activation energy required to cleave the C–O bond of phenol, as evidenced by DFT calculations. This structure–property study highlights the effects of metal composition in bimetallic phosphides to enhance the activity and selectivity for C–O bond cleavage reactions.

Rensel, Dallas J.↗

Influence of humidity and iron(iii) on photodegradation of atmospheric secondary organic aerosol particles

The absorption of solar actinic radiation by atmospheric secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles drives condensed-phase photochemical processes, which lead to particle mass loss by the production of CO, CO 2 , hydrocarbons, and various oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs). We examined the influence of relative humidity (RH) and Fe(III) content on the OVOC release and subsequent mass loss from secondary organic aerosol material (SOM) during UV irradiation. The samples were generated in a flow tube reactor from the oxidation of D-limonene by ozone. The SOM was collected with a Micro Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor (MOUDI) on CaF 2 windows. To selected samples, a variable amount of FeCl 3 was added before irradiation. The resulting SOM samples, with or without added FeCl3, were irradiated with a 305 nm light-emitting diode and the release of several OVOCs, including acetic acid, acetone, formic acid and acetaldehyde, was measured with a Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS). The release of OVOCs from photodegradation of SOM at typical ambient mid-values of RH (30–70%) was 2–4 times higher than under dry conditions. The release of OVOCs was slightly enhanced in the presence of low concentrations of iron (0.04 Fe molar ratio) but it was suppressed at higher concentrations (0.50 Fe molar ratio) of iron indicating the existence of a complicated radical chemistry driving the photodegradation of SOM. Our findings suggest that the presence of iron in atmospheric aerosol particles will either increase or decrease release of OVOCs due to the photodegradation of SOM depending on whether the relative iron concentration is low or high, respectively. At atmospherically relevant RH conditions, the expected fractional mass loss induced by these photochemical processes from limonene SOA particles would be between 2 and 4% of particle mass per hour. Therefore, photodegradation is an important aging mechanism for this type of SOA.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Evaluating the impacts of amino acids in the second and outer coordination spheres of Rh-bis(diphosphine) complexes for CO 2 hydrogenation

To explore the influence of a biologically inspired second and outer coordination sphere on Rh-bis(diphosphine) CO 2 hydrogenation catalysts, a series of five complexes were prepared by varying the substituents on the pendant amine in the P(Et) 2 CH 2 N R CH 2 P(Et) 2 ligands (P Et N R P Et ), where R consists of methyl ester modified amino acids, including three neutral (glycine methyl ester (GlyOMe), leucine methyl ester (LeuOMe), and phenylalanine methyl ester (PheOMe)), one acidic (aspartic acid dimethyl ester (AspOMe)) and one basic (histidine methyl ester (MeHisOMe)) amino acid esters. The turnover frequencies (TOFs) for CO 2 hydrogenation for each of these complexes were compared to those of the non-amino acid containing [Rh(depp) 2 ] + (depp) and [Rh(P Et N Me P Et ) 2 ] + (NMe) complexes. Each complex is catalytically active for CO 2 hydrogenation to formate under mild conditions in THF. Catalytic activity spanned a factor of four, with the most active species being the NMe catalyst, while the slowest were the GlyOMe and the AspOMe complexes. Finally, when compared to a similar set of catalysts with phenyl-substituted phosphorous groups, a clear contribution of the outer coordination sphere is seen for this family of CO 2 hydrogenation catalysts.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗