The activity of transition metal nitrides for hydrotreating quinoline and thiophene

High-pressure synthesis and crystal structures of molybdenum nitride Mo3N5 with anisotropic compressibility by a nitrogen dimer

A novel high-pressure molybdenum nitride phase, Mo₃N₅, was synthesized at above 45 GPa via a nitridation reaction of molybdenum with nitrogen under high pressure using a laser-heated diamond anvil cell. Mo₃N₅, having an N-N dimer and 7-coordinated Mo sites, crystallizes in an orthorhombic structure with a space group of Cmcm (No. 63) without other prototype structures. The refined lattice parameters for Mo₃N₅ were a = 2.86201(2) Å, b = 7.07401(6) Å, and c = 14.59687(13) Å. The DFT enthalpy calculation suggested that Mo₃N₅ is a high-pressure stable phase, which is also consistent with an increasing coordination number compared to ambient- and low-pressure phases. The zero-pressure bulk modulus of Mo₃N₅ was determined to be K₀ = 328(4) GPa with K'₀ = 10.1(6) by the fitting for the compression curve, which is almost consistent with the theoretical E-V curve and elastic stiffness constants. The compressibility of Mo₃N₅ has axial anisotropy corresponding to the N-N dimer direction in the crystal structure.

Key Role of Precursor Nature in Phase Composition of Supported Molybdenum Carbides and Nitrides

In this work, we studied the effect of molybdenum precursors and the synthesis conditions on the final phase composition of bulk and supported molybdenum carbides and nitrides. Ammonium heptamolybdate, its mixture with hexamethylenetetramine, and their complex were used as the precursors at different temperatures. It was investigated that the synthesis of the target molybdenum nitrides strongly depended on the structure of the precursor and temperature conditions, while the synthesis of carbide samples always led to the target phase composition. Unlike the carbide samples, where the α-Mo₂C phase was predominant, the mixture of β-Mo₂N, MoO₂ with a small amount of metal molybdenum was generally formed during the nitridation. All supported samples showed a very good dispersion of the carbide or nitride phases.

Metal Nitrides Grown from Ca/Li Flux: Ca6Te3N2 and New Nitridoferrate(I) Ca6(LixFe1-x)Te2N3

Two new tellurium-containing nitrides were grown from reactions in molten calcium and lithium. The compound Ca6Te3N2 crystallizes in space group R3̅c (a = 12.000(3)Å, c = 13.147(4)Å; Z = 6); its structure is an anti-type of rinneite (K3NaFeCl6) and 2H perovskite related oxides such as Sr3Co2O6. The compound Ca6(LixFe1-x)Te2N3 where x ≈ 0.48 forms in space group P42/m (a = 8.718(3)Å, c = 6.719(2)Å; Z = 2) with a new stuffed anti-type variant of the Tl3BiCl6 structure. Band structure calculations and easily observable red/green dichroic behavior indicate that Ca6Te3N2 is a highly anisotropic direct band gap semiconductor (Eg = 2.5 eV). Ca6(LixFe1-x)Te2N3 features isolated linear N-Fe-N units with iron in the rare Fe(1+) state. The magnetic behavior of the iron site was characterized by magnetic susceptibility measurements, which indicate a very high magnetic moment (5.16μB) likely due to a high degree of spin-orbit coupling. Inherent disorder at the Fe/Li mixed site frustrates long-range communication between magnetic centers.

Transition Metal Carbides and Nitrides in Energy Storage and Conversion

High-performance electrode materials are the key to advances in the areas of energy conversion and storage (e.g., fuel cells and batteries). In this Review, recent progress in the synthesis and electrochemical application of transition metal carbides (TMCs) and nitrides (TMNs) for energy storage and conversion is summarized. Their electrochemical properties in Li-ion and Na-ion batteries as well as in supercapacitors, and electrocatalytic reactions (oxygen evolution and reduction reactions, and hydrogen evolution reaction) are discussed in association with their crystal structure/morphology/composition. Advantages and benefits of nanostructuring (e.g., 2D MXenes) are highlighted. Prospects of future research trends in rational design of high-performance TMCs and TMNs electrodes are provided at the end.

On the Stability of Mo2N During First-Stage Hydrocracking

An unsupported sample of Mo2N has been subjected to a first-stage hydrocracking test. The evolution of the HDS and HDN performance indicated a transformation of Mo2N into MoS2. This was substantiated by XPS and TEM, the latter technique showing that the transformation is limited to only a few surface layers.

Transition-metal mediated heteroatom removal by reactions of FeL(+) [L=O, C 4H 6, c-C 5H 6, c-C 5H 5, C 6H 6, C 5H 4(=CH 2)] with furan, thiophene, and pyrrole in the gas phase

Reactions of Fe(+) and FeL(+) [L=O, C4H6, c-C5H6, C5H5, C6H6, C5H4(=CH2)] with thiophene, furan, and pyrrole in the gas phase by using Fourier transform mass spectrometry are described. Fe(+), Fe(C5H5)(+), and FeC6H 6 (+) yield exclusive rapid adduct formation with thiophene, furan, and pyrrole. In addition, the iron-diene complexes [FeC4H 6 (+) and Fe(c-C5H6)(+)], as well as FeC5H4(=CH2)(+) and FeO(+), are quite reactive. The most intriguing reaction is the predominant direct extrusion of CO from furan by FeC4H6 (+), Fe(c-C5H6)(+), and FeC5H4(=CH2)(+). In addition, FeC4H 6 (+) and Fe(c-C5H6)(+) cause minor amounts of HCN extrusion from pyrrole. Mechanisms are presented for these CO and HCN extrusion reactions. The absence of CS elimination from thiophene may be due to the higher energy requirements than those for CO extrusion from furan or HCN extrusion from pyrrole. The dominant reaction channel for reaction of Fe(c-C5H6)(+) with pyrrole and thiophene is hydrogen-atom displacement, which implies D(O)(Fa(N5H5)(+)-C4H4X)>D(O)(Fe(C5H5)(+)-H)=46±5 kcal mol(-1). D(O)(Fe(+)-C4H4S) and D(O)(Fe(+)-C4H5N)=D(O)(Fe(+)-C4H6)=48±5 kcal mol(-1). Finally, 55±5 kcal mol(-1)=D(O)(Fe(+)-C6H6)>D(O)(Fe(+)-C4H4O)>D(O)(Fe(+)-C2H4)=39.9±1.4 kcal mol(-1). FeO(+) reacts rapidly with thiophene, furan, and pyrrole to yield initial loss of CO followed by additional neutral losses. D(O)(Fe(+)-CS)>D(O)(Fe(+)-C4H4S)≈48±5 kcal mol(-1) and D(O)(Fe(+)-C4H5N)≈48±5 kcal mol(-1)>D(O)(Fe(+)-HCN)>D(O)(Fe(+)-C2H4)=39.9±1.4 kcal mil(-1).