Organometallic derivatives of cyclotriphosphazene as precursors of nanostructured metallic materials: a new solid state method

The cyclic phosphazene trimers [N3P3(OC6H5)5OC5H4N·Ti(Cp)2Cl][PF6] (3), [N3P3(OC6H4CH2CN·Ti(Cp)2Cl)6][PF6]6 (4), [N3P3(OC6H4-But)5(OC6H4CH2CN·Ti(Cp)2Cl)][PF6] (5), [N3P3(OC6H5)5C6H4CH2CN·Ru(Cp)(PPh3)2][PF6] (6), [N3P3(OC6H5)5C6H4CH2CN·Fe(Cp)(dppe)][PF6] (7) and N3P3(OC6H5)5OC5H4N·W(CO)5 (8) were prepared and characterized. As a model, the simple compounds [HOC5H5N·Ti(Cp)2Cl]PF6 (1) and [HOC6H4CH2CN·Ti(Cp)2Cl]PF6 (2) were also prepared and characterized. Pyrolysis of the organometallic cyclic trimers in air yields metallic nanostructured materials, which according to transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM/SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX), and IR data, can be formulated as either a metal oxide, metal pyrophosphate or a mixture in some cases, depending on the nature and quantity of the metal, characteristics of the organic spacer and the auxiliary substituent attached to the phosphorus cycle. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) data indicate the formation of small island and striate nanostructures. A plausible formation mechanism which involves the formation of a cyclomatrix is proposed, and the pyrolysis of the organometallic cyclic phosphazene polymer as a new and general method for obtaining metallic nanostructured materials is discussed.

Engineering metallic nanoparticles for enhancing and probing catalytic reactions

Recent developments in tailoring the structural and chemical properties of colloidal metal nanoparticles (NPs) have led to significant enhancements in catalyst performance. Controllable colloidal synthesis has also allowed tailor-made NPs to serve as mechanistic probes for catalytic processes. The innovative use of colloidal NPs to gain fundamental insights into catalytic function will be highlighted across a variety of catalytic and electrocatalytic applications. The engineering of future heterogenous catalysts is also moving beyond size, shape and composition considerations. Advancements in understanding structure-property relationships have enabled incorporation of complex features such as tuning surface strain to influence the behavior of catalytic NPs. Exploiting plasmonic properties and altering colloidal surface chemistry through functionalization are also emerging as important areas for rational design of catalytic NPs. This news article will highlight the key developments and challenges to the future design of catalytic NPs.