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Wang WL, Zhang ZC, Yu D, Ni BL, Sun WM. Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reaction Catalyzed by Al 12M (M = Be, Al, C, and P) Superatoms with Different Numbers of Valence Electrons. Inorg Chem 2024; 63:11768-11778. [PMID: 38864539 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c01407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
The exploration of low-cost, efficient, environmentally safe, and selective catalysts for the activation of carbon-halogen bonds has become an important and challenging topic in modern chemistry. With the help of density functional theory (DFT), it is found that phenyl bromide (PhBr) can be efficiently chemisorbed by the Al12M (M = Be, Al, C, and P) superatoms via forming highly polarized Al-Br covalent bonds, where the C-Br bonds of PhBr can be effectively activated through the electron transfer from Al12M. The different electronic structures of these four Al12M superatoms pose a substantial effect on their performances on the activation of PhBr and the catalytic mechanisms of the Suzuki-Miyaura (SM) reaction. Among them, the alkali-metal-like superatom Al12P exhibits the best performance for the activation of PhBr. In particular, Al13 and Al12P with open-shell electronic structures exhibit catalytic performances comparable to those of previously reported catalysts for this coupling reaction. Hence, it is highly expected that Al13 and Al12P could be used as novel superatom catalysts for C-C coupling reactions and, therefore, open up new possibilities to use nonprecious superatoms in catalyzing the activation and transformation of carbon-halogen bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Lu Wang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi-Chao Zhang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Yu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Bi-Lian Ni
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei-Ming Sun
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, People's Republic of China
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, People's Republic of China
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Rodríguez-Kessler PL, Muñoz-Castro A. Ligand-free supermolecules: [Pd 2@Ge 18] 4- and [Pd 2@Sn 18] 4- as multiple-bonded Zintl-ion clusters based on Pd@Ge 9 and Pd@Sn 9 assembled units. NANOSCALE 2024. [PMID: 38436401 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr00220b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Understanding intercluster bonding interactions is important in the rational synthesis of building blocks for molecular materials. Such characteristics have been developed for coinage metal clusters resembling single-, double-, and triple-bonded species, coined as supermolecules. Herein, we extend such an approach for understanding main-group clusters, thus evaluating [Pd2@E18]4- clusters (E = Ge, Sn) involving the fusion of parent spherical aromatic [Pd@E12]2- building units. Our results indicate intercluster bonding provided by contribution from 2P and 1G shells centered at each building motif, leading to an overall bond order of 2.70 and 2.31 for [Pd2@Ge18]4- and [Pd2@Sn18]4-, respectively. In addition, 119Sn-NMR patterns were evaluated to complement the experimental characterization of a single peak owing to the insolution fluxional behavior of [Pd2@Sn18]4- as three peaks owing to the three sets of unique Sn atoms within the structure. Magnetic response properties revealed that spherical aromatic characteristics from parent [Pd@E12]2- building units are retained in the overall [Pd2@E18]4- oblate cluster as two spherical aromatic units. Hence, the notion of superatomic molecules is extended to Zintl-ion clusters, favoring further rationalization for the fabrication of cluster-assembled solids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter L Rodríguez-Kessler
- Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica A.C., Loma del Bosque 115, Col. Lomas del Campestre, León, Guanajuato, 37150, Mexico
| | - Alvaro Muñoz-Castro
- Facultad de Ingeniería, Arquitectura y Diseño, Universidad San Sebastián, Bellavista 7, Santiago, 8420524, Chile.
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Ye YL, Zhang ZC, Ni BL, Yu D, Chen JH, Sun WM. Theoretical prediction of superatom WSi 12-based catalysts for CO oxidation by N 2O. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:32525-32533. [PMID: 37997746 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05363f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Catalytic conversion of N2O and CO into nonharmful gases is of great significance to reduce their adverse impact on the environment. The potential of the WSi12 superatom to serve as a new cluster catalyst for CO oxidation by N2O is examined for the first time. It is found that WSi12 prefers to adsorb the N2O molecule rather than the CO molecule, and the charge transfer from WSi12 to N2O results in the full activation of N2O into a physically absorbed N2 molecule and an activated oxygen atom that is attached to an edge of the hexagonal prism structure of WSi12. After the release of N2, the remaining oxygen atom can oxidize one CO molecule via overcoming a rate-limiting barrier of 28.19 kcal mol-1. By replacing the central W atom with Cr and Mo, the resulting MSi12 (M = Cr and Mo) superatoms exhibit catalytic performance for CO oxidation comparable to the parent WSi12. In particular, the catalytic ability of WSi12 for CO oxidation is well maintained when it is extended into tube-like WnSi6(n+1) (n = 2, 4, and 6) clusters with energy barriers of 25.63-29.50 kcal mol-1. Moreover, all these studied MSi12 (M = Cr, Mo, and W) and WnSi6(n+1) (n = 2, 4, and 6) species have high structural stability and can absorb sunlight to drive the catalytic process. This study not only opens a new door for the atomically precise design of new silicon-based nanoscale catalysts for various chemical reactions but also provides useful atomic-scale insights into the size effect of such catalysts in heterogeneous catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Ling Ye
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Pharmacy, Nanping First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Nanping, Fujian, 353006, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi-Chao Zhang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, People's Republic of China.
| | - Bi-Lian Ni
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, People's Republic of China.
| | - Dan Yu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Hua Chen
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wei-Ming Sun
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, People's Republic of China.
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, People's Republic of China
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Ye YL, Wang WL, Sun WM, Yang J. Polymeric tungsten carbide nanoclusters as potential non-noble metal catalysts for CO oxidation. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:18231-18240. [PMID: 36468662 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr06097c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of tungsten carbide (WC) as an analog of the noble metal Pt atom is of great significance toward designing novel highly-active catalysts from the viewpoint of the superatom concept. The potential of such a superatom to serve as building blocks of replacement catalysts for Pt has been evaluated in this work. The electronic properties, adsorption behaviors, and catalytic mechanisms towards the CO oxidation of (WC)n and Ptn (n = 1, 2, 4, and 6) were compared. Counterintuitively, these studied (WC)n clusters exhibit quite different electronic properties and adsorption behaviours from the corresponding Ptn species. For instance, (WC)n preferentially adsorbs O2, whereas Ptn tends to first combine with CO. Even so, it is interesting to find that the catalytic performances of (WC)n are always superior to the corresponding Ptn, and especially, the largest (WC)6 cluster exhibits the best catalytic ability towards CO oxidation. Therefore, assembling superatomic WC clusters into larger polymeric clusters can be regarded as a novel strategy to develop efficient superatom-assembled catalysts for CO oxidation. It is highly expected to see the realization of non-noble metal catalysts for various reactions in the near future experiments by using superatoms as building blocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Ling Ye
- Department of Basic Chemistry, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350108, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wen-Lu Wang
- Department of Basic Chemistry, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350108, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wei-Ming Sun
- Department of Basic Chemistry, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350108, People's Republic of China.
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jinlong Yang
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, People's Republic of China.
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Pandey SK, Arunan E, Das R, Roy A, Mishra AK. Recent advances in in silico design and characterization of superalkali-based materials and their potential applications: A review. Front Chem 2022; 10:1019166. [PMID: 36419589 PMCID: PMC9676666 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1019166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
In the advancement of novel materials, chemistry plays a vital role in developing the realm where we survive. Superalkalis are a group of clusters/molecules having lower ionization potentials (IPs) than that of the cesium atom (3.89 eV) and thus, show excellent reducing properties. However, the chemical industry and material science both heavily rely on such reducing substances; an in silico approach-based design and characterization of superalkalis have been the focus of ongoing studies in this area along with their potential applications. However, although superalkalis have been substantially sophisticated materials over the past couple of decades, there is still room for enumeration of the recent progress going on in various interesting species using computational experiments. In this review, the recent developments in designing/modeling and characterization (theoretically) of a variety of superalkali-based materials have been summarized along with their potential applications. Theoretically acquired properties of some novel superalkali cations (Li3 +) and C6Li6 species, etc. for capturing and storing CO2/N2 molecules have been unveiled in this report. Additionally, this report unravels the first-order polarizability-based nonlinear optical (NLO) response features of numerous computationally designed novel superalkali-based materials, for instance, fullerene-like mixed-superalkali-doped B12N12 and B12P12 nanoclusters with good UV transparency and mixed-valent superalkali-based CaN3Ca (a high-sensitivity alkali-earth-based aromatic multi-state NLO molecular switch, and lead-founded halide perovskites designed by incorporating superalkalis, supersalts, and so on) which can indeed be used as a new kind of electronic nanodevice used in designing hi-tech NLO materials. Understanding the mere interactions of alkalides in the gas and liquid phases and the potential to influence how such systems can be extended and applied in the future are also highlighted in this survey. In addition to offering an overview of this research area, it is expected that this review will also provide new insights into the possibility of expanding both the experimental synthesis and the practical use of superalkalis and their related species. Superalkalis present the intriguing possibility of acting as cutting-edge construction blocks of nanomaterials with highly modifiable features that may be utilized for a wide-ranging prospective application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarvesh Kumar Pandey
- Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Elangannan Arunan
- Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Ratnesh Das
- Department of Chemistry, Dr. Harisingh Gour University (A Central University), Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Atish Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Dr. Harisingh Gour University (A Central University), Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Arunesh Kumar Mishra
- Department of Chemistry, Dr. Harisingh Gour University (A Central University), Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India
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Sun WM, Cheng X, Wang WL, Li XH. Designing Magnetic Superalkalis with Extremely Large Nonlinear Optical Responses. Organometallics 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.organomet.2c00193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Ming Sun
- The Department of Basic Chemistry, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350108, People’s Republic of China
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xin Cheng
- The Department of Basic Chemistry, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350108, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wen-Lu Wang
- The Department of Basic Chemistry, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350108, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiang-Hui Li
- The School of Medical Technology and Engineering, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350004, People’s Republic of China
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Sikorska C, Gaston N. Molecular crystals vs. superatomic lattice: a case study with superalkali-superhalogen compounds. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:8763-8774. [PMID: 35352731 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp05761h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Using a first-principles approach, we study the assembly of atomically-precise cluster solids with atomic precision. The aims are to create binary assemblies of clusters through charge transfer between neutral molecular clusters, and employing intercluster electrostatic attraction as a driving force for co-assembly. We combined pairs of complementary clusters in which one cluster is electron-donating (superalkali) and the other is electron-accepting (superhalogen). From the analysis of the binding energy between superatomic counterparts, charge transfer, and the relative size of the clusters, we analyze the resulting structures as either molecular crystals or superatomic lattices. We demonstrate that the substitution of a single atom can result in minor changes to the crystal structure of the binary solids or entirely new packing structures. The [N4Mg6Li]+[AlCl4]-, [N4Mg6Na]+[AlCl4]-, [N4Mg6K]+[AlCl4]-, [N4Mg6Li]+[AlF4]-, [N4Mg6Na]+[AlF4]-, and [N4Mg6K]+[AlF4]- compounds all form the same close-packed superatomic lattice structure through halogen bonding, with subtle differences in the orientation of the superatoms. These salts may also form molecular crystals where clusters are held to one another by electrostatic interactions. Our results emphasize how the structure of superatomic solids can be tuned upon single atom substitution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celina Sikorska
- The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Department of Physics, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
| | - Nicola Gaston
- The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Department of Physics, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
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Ye YL, Pan KY, Ni BL, Sun WM. Designing Special Nonmetallic Superalkalis Based on a Cage-like Adamanzane Complexant. Front Chem 2022; 10:853160. [PMID: 35360533 PMCID: PMC8963935 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.853160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, to examine the possibility of using cage-like complexants to design nonmetallic superalkalis, a series of X@36adz (X = H, B, C, N, O, F, and Si) complexes have been constructed and investigated by embedding nonmetallic atoms into the 36adamanzane (36adz) complexant. Although X atoms possess very high ionization energies, these resulting X@36adz complexes possess low adiabatic ionization energies (AIEs) of 0.78–5.28 eV. In particular, the adiabatic ionization energies (AIEs) of X@36adz (X = H, B, C, N, and Si) are even lower than the ionization energy (3.89 eV) of Cs atoms, and thus, can be classified as novel nonmetallic superalkalis. Moreover, due to the existence of diffuse excess electrons in B@36adz, this complex not only possesses pretty low AIE of 2.16 eV but also exhibits a remarkably large first hyperpolarizability (β0) of 1.35 × 106 au, indicating that it can also be considered as a new kind of nonlinear optical molecule. As a result, this study provides an effective approach to achieve new metal-free species with an excellent reducing capability by utilizing the cage-like organic complexants as building blocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Ling Ye
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Kai-Yun Pan
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Bi-Lian Ni
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wei-Ming Sun
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Wei-Ming Sun,
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Sun WM, Cheng X, Ye YL, Li XH, Ni BL. On the Possibility of Using Aza-Cryptands to Design Superalkalis. Organometallics 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.organomet.1c00674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Ming Sun
- The Department of Basic Chemistry, Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, the School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, People’s Republic of China
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xin Cheng
- The Department of Basic Chemistry, Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, the School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ya-Ling Ye
- The Department of Basic Chemistry, Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, the School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiang-Hui Li
- The School of Medical Technology and Engineering, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350004, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bi-Lian Ni
- The Department of Basic Chemistry, Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, the School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, People’s Republic of China
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Zhang XL, Ye YL, Zhang L, Li XH, Yu D, Chen JH, Sun WM. Designing an alkali-metal-like superatom Ca 3B for ambient nitrogen reduction to ammonia. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:18908-18915. [PMID: 34612429 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp01533h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Converting earth-abundant nitrogen (N2) gas into ammonia (NH3) under mild conditions is one of the most important issues and a long-standing challenge in chemistry. Herein, a new superatom Ca3B was theoretically designed and characterized to reveal its catalytic performance in converting N2 into NH3 by means of density functional theory (DFT) computations. The alkali-metal-like identity of this cluster is verified by its lower vertical ionization energy (VIE, 4.29 eV) than that of potassium (4.34 eV), while its high stability was guaranteed by the large HOMO-LUMO gap and binding energy per atom (Eb). More importantly, this well-designed superatom possesses unique geometric and electronic features, which can fully activate N2via a "double-electron transfer" mechanism, and then convert the activated N2 into NH3 through a distal reaction pathway with a small energy barrier of 0.71 eV. It is optimistically hoped that this work could intrigue more endeavors to design specific superatoms as excellent catalysts for the chemical adsorption and reduction of N2 to NH3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ling Zhang
- Department of Basic Chemistry, The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350108, People's Republic of China.
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