High Selectivity Towards Formate Production by Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide at Copper-Bismuth Dendrites.

The electrochemical reduction of CO2 provides an alternative carbon-neutral path for renewable synthesis of fuels and value-added chemicals. This work demonstrates that dendritic, bimetallic Cu-Bi electrocatalysts with nanometer-sized grains are capable of formate generation with a high selectivity. Optimizing composition of electrocatalyst could achieve a faradic efficiency of 90 % at -0.8 to -0.9 VRHE , and a partial current of more than 2 mA cm-2 . The combination of Cu with Bi enables modulation of the adsorption strength of intermediates. This leads to an increased selectivity and suppressed formation of spurious species, especially hydrogen and CO. Comparison of product distribution for Cu-In versus Cu-Bi indicated that Bi is essential to induce a favorable adsorption configuration of the intermediate species and to promote formate production.

Organometallic Complexes Anchored to Conductive Carbon for Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Methane at Low Temperature.

Low-temperature direct methane fuel cells (DMEFCs) offer the opportunity to substantially improve the efficiency of energy production from natural gas. This study focuses on the development of well-defined platinum organometallic complexes covalently anchored to ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) for electrochemical oxidation of methane in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell at 80 °C. A maximum normalized power of 403 µW/mg Pt was obtained, which was 5 times higher than the power obtained from a modern commercial catalyst and 2 orders of magnitude greater than that from a Pt black catalyst. The observed differences in catalytic activities for oxidation of methane are linked to the chemistry of the tethered catalysts, determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The chemistry/activity relationships demonstrate a tangible path for the design of electrocatalytic systems for C-H bond activation that afford superior performance in DMEFC for potential commercial applications.

Allylic C-H bond activation and functionalization mediated by tris(oxazolinyl)borato rhodium(I) and iridium(I) compounds.

Allylic C-H bond oxidative addition reactions, mediated by tris(oxazolinyl)borato rhodium(I) and iridium(I) species, provide the first step in a hydrocarbon functionalization sequence. The bond activation products To(M)MH(η(3)-C(8)H(13)) (M = Rh (1), Ir (2)), To(M)MH(η(3)-C(3)H(5)) (M = Rh (3), Ir (4)), and To(M)RhH(η(3)-C(3)H(4)Ph) (5) (To(M) = tris(4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolinyl)phenylborate) are synthesized by reaction of Tl[To(M)] and the corresponding metal olefin chloride dimers. Characterization of these group 9 allyl hydride complexes includes (1)H-(15)N heteronuclear correlation NMR experiments that reveal through-metal magnetization transfer between metal hydride and the trans-coordinated oxazoline nitrogen. Furthermore, the oxazoline (15)N NMR chemical shifts are affected by the trans ligand, with the resonances for the group trans to hydride typically downfield of those trans to η(3)-allyl and tosylamide. These group 9 oxazolinylborate compounds have been studied to develop approaches for allylic functionalization. However, this possibility is generally limited by the tendency of the allyl hydride compounds to undergo olefin reductive elimination. Reductive elimination products are formed upon addition of ligands such as CO and CN(t)Bu. Also, To(M)RhH(η(3)-C(8)H(13)) and acetic acid react to give To(M)RhH(κ(2)-O(2)CMe) (8) and cyclooctene. In contrast, treatment of To(M)RhH(η(3)-C(3)H(5)) with TsN(3) (Ts = SO(2)C(6)H(4)Me) gives the complex To(M)Rh(η(3)-C(3)H(5))NHTs (10). Interestingly, the reaction of To(M)RhH(η(3)-C(8)H(13)) and TsN(3) yields To(M)Rh(NHTs)(H)OH(2) (11) and 1,3-cyclooctadiene viaß-hydride elimination and Rh-H bond amination. Ligand-induced reductive elimination of To(M)Rh(η(3)-C(3)H(5))NHTs provides HN(CH(2)CH=CH(2))Ts; these steps combine to give a propene C-H activation/functionalization sequence.