Anionic N,O-ligated Pd(II) complexes: highly active catalysts for alcohol oxidation.

There is a need to develop effective catalytic methods for alcohol oxidation. Pd(II) complexes have shown great promise as catalysts, however a comparatively small number of ligands have been reported so far. Herein we report the use of commercially available anionic N,O-ligands to produce highly active catalysts.

The first structural characterization of a [2.2]PHANEPHOS - Transition-metal complex: Structure of rac-[Pd(4,12-bis(diphenylphosphino)[2.2]paracyclophane)Cl-2]

The solid-state structure of the [2.2]PHANEPHOS-transition-metal complex rac-[Pd(4,12-bis(diphenylphosphino)[2.2]paracyclophane)Cl-2] has been established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The P-Pd-P bite angle is ideally suited to catalytic processes such as carbon-carbon cross-coupling reactions, which involve reductive elimination as the rate-determining step.

Diphosphine analogues of proton sponge: X-ray crystal structure of [Pd(eta(3)-allyl)(dppn)]BF4 center dot CH2Cl2 (dppn equals 1,8-bis(diphenylphosphino)naphthalene)

The X-ray crystal structure of [Pd(eta(3)-allyl)(dppn)]BF4 . CH2Cl2 (1) where dppn = 1,8-bis(diphenylphosphino)naphthalene is reported. Comparison of the conformation of the ligand in 1 with that in the free state shows that there is a relief of strain on complexation analogous to the relief of strain observed upon protonation of proton sponge.

Catalytic properties of beta zeolite exchanged with Pd and Fe for toluene total oxidation

Dealuminated beta zeolites exchanged with Pd and Fe were prepared to investigate the influence of iron and dealumination on the activity and selectivity of Pd/BEA zeolite for toluene total oxidation. The specific areas determined by BET method and EPR studies allowed to know that the palladium would be more easily agglomerated on the BEA than on the DBEA. Moreover, a quantification of the palladium saturation on the BEA zeolite was deduced by EPR. Effects of dynamic and static oxidation and weak and strong reduction treatments were studied by EPR. Several isolated and interacted Pd+ species and hole centers were detected. The Pd was much reduced after the catalytic test in dealuminated and Fe doped samples. This result could be directly correlated to the catalytic deactivation. The deactivation could be also explain by the type of coke deposed on the catalyst and by the hydroscopic behavior of the samples. Addition of Fe or dealumination could prevent the deactivation and then lead to better catalysts for VOCs oxidation.

Selective hydrogenation of acetylene in ethylene rich feed streams at high pressure over ligand modified Pd/TiO2

The selective hydrogenation of acetylene from ethylene rich streams was conducted at high pressure and in the presence of CO over two 1 wt% loaded Pd/TiO2 catalysts with differing dispersions. Although, the more poorly dispersed sample did not result in high acetylene conversion only a small proportion of the total available ethylene was hydrogenated to ethane. The more highly dispersed sample was able to remove acetylene to a level below the detection limit but this was at the expense of significant proportion (ca. 30%) of the available ethylene. Modification of the catalysts by exposure to triphenyl phosphine or diphenyl sulfide and subsequent reduction at 393 K led to improved performance with increased conversion of acetylene and decreased propensity to hydrogenate ethylene resulting in an overall net gain in ethylene. The higher dispersed sample which had been ligand modified provided the best results overall and in particular for the diphenyl sulfide treated sample which was able to completely eliminate acetylene and still obtain a net gain in ethylene. The differences observed are thought to be due to the creation of appropriate active ensembles of Pd atoms which are able to accommodate acetylene but have limited ability to adsorb ethylene. Sub-surface hydrogen formation was suppressed, but not eliminated, by exposure to modifier.

High sensitivity (1 ppm) hydrogen detection using an unconventional Pd/n-InP Schottky device

Hydrogen is detected using a Pd/n-InP Schottky diode in which the elongated, very thin Pd electrode is of greater resistance than the underlying semiconductor substrate. Four-probe measurements of the device resistance, as a function of hydrogen concentration, are made by contacting only the Pd electrode, with a sensitivity of 1 ppm being achieved. On hydrogen exposure the device resistance drops from an initial high value, characteristic of the Pd electrode alone, to a lower value due to a hydrogen-induced lowering of the Schottky barrier that opens up the InP substrate as a parallel current carrying channel.

Structure-reactivity Correlations in the catalytic coupling of ethyne over novel bimetallic Pd/Sn catalysts

The structure, thermal stability, and catalytic behavior of a novel highly dispersed silica-supported Pd/Sn catalyst prepared by an organometallic route have been examined by X-ray photoelectron, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray absorption, fine structure spectroscopies, the latter two measurements being carried outwith an in situ reaction cell. Additional reactor measurements were performed on a more Sn-rich catalyst and on a pure Pd catalyst. Varying the temperature of reduction induced large variations in catalytic performance toward ethyne-coupling reactions. These changes are understandable in terms of the destruction of SnO2-like structures surrounding the Pd core, yielding a skin of metallic Sn which subsequently undergoes intermixing with Pd. The overall thermal and catalytic behavior of these highly dispersed materials accords well with the analogous single-crystal model system.

Chemisorption and decomposition of pyrrole on Pd{111}

XPS, TPD and HREEL results indicate that molecular pyrrole is a fragile adsorbate on clean Pd{111}. At 200 K and for low coverages, the molecule remains intact and adopts an almost flat-lying geometry. With increasing coverage, pyrrole molecules tilt away from the surface and undergo N-H bond cleavage to form strongly tilted pyrrolyl (C4H4N) species. In addition, a weakly bound, strongly tilted form of molecular pyrrole is observed at coverages approaching saturation. Heating pyrrole monolayers results in desorption of similar to 15% of the overlayer as molecular pyrrole and N-a+ C4H4Na recombination with formation of hat-lying pyrrole molecules. This strongly bound species undergoes decomposition to adsorbed CN, CHx and H, leading ultimately to desorption of HCN and H-2. The implications of these results for the production of pyrrole by a heterogeneously catalysed route are discussed.

Chemisorption and reactivity of furan on Pd{111}

XPS, HREELS, ARUPS and Delta phi data show that furan chemisorbs non-dissociatively on Pd{111} at 175 K, the molecular plane being significantly tilted with respect to the surface normal. Bonding involves both the oxygen lone pair and significant a interaction with the substrate. The degree of decomposition that accompanies molecular desorption is a strong function of coverage: similar to 40% of the adsorbate desorbs molecularly from the saturated monolayer. Decomposition occurs via decarbonylation to yield COa and H-a followed by desorption rate limited loss of H-2 and CO. It seems probable that an adsorbed C3H3 species formed during this process undergoes subsequent stepwise dehydrogenation ultimately yielding H-2 and C-a.