Elucidation of copper environment in a Cu-Cr-Fe oxide catalyst through in situ high-resolution XANES investigation.

Copper containing materials are widely used in a range of catalytic applications. Here, we report the use of Cu K-edge high resolution XANES to determine the local site symmetry of copper ions during the thermal treatment of a Cu-Cr-Fe oxide catalyst. We exploited the Cu K-edge XANES spectral features, in particular the correlation between area under the pre-edge peak and its position to determine the local environment of Cu2+ ions. The information gained from this investigation rules out the presence of Cu2+ ions in a tetrahedral or square planar geometry, a mixture of these sites, or in a reduced oxidation state. Evidence is presented that the Cu2+ ions in the Cu-Cr-Fe oxide system are present in a distorted octahedral environment.

Operando Insights into CO Oxidation on Cobalt Oxide Catalysts by NAP-XPS, FTIR, and XRD.

Cobalt oxide Co3O4 has recently emerged as promising, noble metal-free catalyst for oxidation reactions but a better understanding of the active catalyst under working conditions is required for further development and potential commercialization. An operando approach has been applied, combining near ambient (atmospheric) pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), or X-ray diffraction (XRD) with simultaneous catalytic tests of CO oxidation on Co3O4, enabling one to monitor surface and bulk states under various reaction conditions (steady-state and dynamic conditions switching between CO and O2). On the basis of the surface-specific chemical information a complex network of different reaction pathways unfolded: Mars-van-Krevelen (MvK), CO dissociation followed by carbon oxidation, and formation of carbonates. A possible Langmuir-Hinshelwood (LH) pathway cannot be excluded because of the good activity when no oxygen vacancies were detected. The combined NAP-XPS/FTIR results are in line with a MvK mechanism above 100 °C, involving the Co3+/Co2+ redox couple and oxygen vacancy formation. Under steady state, the Co3O4 surface appeared oxidized and the amount of reduced Co2+ species at/near the surface remained low up to 200 °C. Only in pure CO, about 15% of surface reduction were detected, suggesting that the active sites are a minority species. The operando spectroscopic studies also revealed additional reaction pathways: CO dissociation followed by carbon reoxidation and carbonate formation and its decomposition. However, due to their thermal stability in various atmospheres, the carbonates are rather spectators and also CO dissociation seems a minor route. This study thus highlights the benefits of combining operando surface sensitive techniques to gain insight into catalytically active surfaces.

Composition Space Analysis in the Development of Copper Molybdate Hybrids Decorated by a Bifunctional Pyrazolyl/1,2,4-Triazole Ligand.

A bitopic ligand, 4-(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-4-yl)-1,2,4-triazole (Hpz-tr) (1), containing two different heterocyclic moieties was employed for the design of copper(II)-molybdate solids under hydrothermal conditions. In the multicomponent Cu(II)/Hpz-tr/Mo(VI) system, a diverse set of coordination hybrids, [Cu(Hpz-tr)2SO4]·3H2O (2), [Cu(Hpz-tr)Mo3O10] (3), [Cu4(OH)4(Hpz-tr)4Mo8O26]·6H2O (4), [Cu(Hpz-tr)2Mo4O13] (5), and [Mo2O6(Hpz-tr)]·H2O (6), was prepared and characterized. A systematic investigation of these systems in the form of a ternary crystallization diagram approach was utilized to show the influence of the molar ratios of starting reagents, the metal (Cu(II) and Mo(VI)) sources, the temperature, etc., on the reaction products outcome. Complexes 2-4 dominate throughout a wide crystallization range of the composition triangle, while the other two compounds 5 and 6 crystallize as minor phases in a narrow concentration range. In the crystal structures of 2-6, the organic ligand behaves as a short [N-N]-triazole linker between metal centers Cu···Cu in 2-4, Cu···Mo in 5, and Mo···Mo in 6, while the pyrazolyl function remains uncoordinated. This is the reason for the exceptional formation of low-dimensional coordination motifs: 1D for 2, 4, and 6 and 2D for 3 and 5. In all cases, the pyrazolyl group is involved in H bonding (H-donor/H-acceptor) and is responsible for π-π stacking, thus connecting the chain and layer structures in more complicated H-bonding architectures. These compounds possess moderate thermal stability up to 250-300 °C. The magnetic measurements were performed for 2-4, revealing in all three cases antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between neighboring Cu(II) centers and long-range order with a net moment below Tc of 13 K for compound 4.

Different synthesis protocols for Co3O4 -CeO2 catalysts--part†1: influence on the morphology on the nanoscale.

Co3 O4 -modified CeO2 (Co/Ce 1:4) was prepared by a combination of sol-gel processing and solvothermal treatment. The distribution of Co was controlled by means of the synthesis protocol to yield three different morphologies, namely, Co3 O4 nanoparticles located on the surface of CeO2 particles, coexistent Co3 O4 and CeO2 nanoparticles, or Co oxide structures homogeneously distributed within CeO2 . The effect of the different morphologies on the properties of Co3 O4 -CeO2 was investigated with regard to the crystallite phase(s), particle size, surface area, and catalytic activity for CO oxidation. The material with Co3 O4 nanoparticles finely dispersed on the surface of CeO2 particles had the highest catalytic activity.

High Surface Area Ceria for CO Oxidation Prepared from Cerium t-Butoxide by Combined Sol-Gel and Solvothermal Processing.

ABSTRACT: CeO2 was synthesized by combined sol-gel and solvothermal processing of gels obtained from acetaldoximate-modified cerium(IV) t-butoxide in the presence of the non-ionic surfactant Pluronic F127. The use of cerium(IV) t-butoxide as precursor contrasts very favorably with the often used ceric ammonium nitrate and results in more reliable and tailorable properties of the final materials. The kind of post-synthesis treatment of the gels and the composition of the precursor mixture proved to be crucial for obtaining high surface area ceria with a high Ce3+ proportion. Calcination in air or under nitrogen was compared with solvothermal treatment in ethanol or water and a combination of solvothermal treatment and calcination. The obtained materials are composed of 3.5-5.5 nm ceria nanoparticles. The highest specific surface area of 277 m2/g was obtained after solvothermal treatment, and 180 m2/g when solvothermal treatment was followed by calcination in air to remove residual organic groups. The highest Ce3+ proportion was 18 % after solvothermal treatment in ethanol and additional calcination in air. CO oxidation on selected samples indicated that activity scaled with surface area and thus was largest for samples solvothermally treated in ethanol. The reaction rate of the best sample was about 75-times larger than that of commercial ceria. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: .

New organic-inorganic frameworks incorporating iso- and heteropolymolybdate units and a 3,3',5,5'-tetramethyl-4,4'-bi-1H-pyrazole-2,2'-diium multiple hydrogen-bond donor.

Poly[bis(3,3',5,5'-tetramethyl-4,4'-bi-1H-pyrazole-2,2'-diium) γ-octamolybdate(VI) dihydrate], {(C(10)H(16)N(4))(2)[Mo(8)O(26)]·2H(2)O}(n), (I), and bis(3,3',5,5'-tetramethyl-4,4'-bi-1H-pyrazole-2,2'-diium) α-dodecamolybdo(VI)silicate tetrahydrate, (C(10)H(16)N(4))(2)[SiMo(12)O(40)]·4H(2)O, (II), display intense hydrogen bonding between the cationic pyrazolium species and the metal oxide anions. In (I), the asymmetric unit contains half a centrosymmetric γ-type [Mo(8)O(26)](4-) anion, which produces a one-dimensional polymeric chain by corner-sharing, one cation and one water molecule. Three-centre bonding with 3,3',5,5'-tetramethyl-4,4'-bi-1H-pyrazole-2,2'-diium, denoted [H(2)Me(4)bpz](2+) [N···O = 2.770 (4)-3.146 (4) Å], generates two-dimensional layers that are further linked by hydrogen bonds involving water molecules [O...O = 2.902 (4) and 3.010 (4) Å]. In (II), each of the four independent [H(2)Me(4)bpz](2+) cations lies across a twofold axis. They link layers of [SiMo(12)O(40)](4-) anions into a three-dimensional framework, and the preferred sites for pyrazolium/anion hydrogen bonding are the terminal oxide atoms [N···O = 2.866 (6)-2.999 (6) Å], while anion/aqua interactions occur preferentially via µ(2)-O sites [O···O = 2.910 (6)-3.151 (6) Å].

Diaquabis[4-(4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)benzoato-kappa2O,O']cobalt(II), and the cadmium(II) and copper(II) analogues: new self-complementary hydrogen-bond donor/acceptor modules for designing hydrogen-bonded frameworks.

In the isostructural title complexes, [M(C(9)H(6)N(3)O(2))(2)(H(2)O)(2)] [M = Co(II), (I), Cd(II), (II), and Cu(II), (III); the metal centres reside on a twofold axis in the space group C2/c for (I) and (II)], the metal centres are surrounded by four O atoms from two O,O'-bidentate carboxylate groups and by two trans-coordinated aqua ligands, forming a distorted octahedral environment. The molecules possess four hydrogen-bond donor (two aqua ligands) and four hydrogen-bond acceptor sites (two triazole groups), and aggregate by self-association, forming two-dimensional hydrogen-bonded frameworks [via O-H...N interactions; O...N = 2.749 (3)-2.872 (3) A]. The layers are parallel and are tightly packed with short interlayer distances of 4.93, 4.95 and 5.01 A for (I), (II) and (III), respectively.