In situ NMR spectroscopy in heterogeneous catalysis

A review of recent developments for the in situ/operando characterization of nanoporous materials

This is a review on up-to-date in situ/operando methods for a comprehensive characterization of nanoporous materials. The group of nanoporous materials is constantly growing, and with it, the variety of...

Solid-state NMR studies of non-ionic surfactants confined in mesoporous silica

This review gives an overview of current trends in the investigation of confined molecules such as higher alcohols, ethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol as guest molecules in neat and functionalized mesoporous silica materials. All these molecules have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts. They are characteristic role-models for the investigation of confined surfactants. Their properties are studied by a combination of solid-state NMR and relaxometry with other physicochemical techniques and molecular dynamics techniques. It is shown that this combination delivers unique insights into the structure, arrangement, dynamical properties and the guest-host interactions inside the confinement.

Small Molecules, Non-Covalent Interactions, and Confinement

This review gives an overview of current trends in the investigation of small guest molecules, confined in neat and functionalized mesoporous silica materials by a combination of solid-state NMR and relaxometry with other physico-chemical techniques. The reported guest molecules are water, small alcohols, and carbonic acids, small aromatic and heteroaromatic molecules, ionic liquids, and surfactants. They are taken as characteristic role-models, which are representatives for the typical classes of organic molecules. It is shown that this combination delivers unique insights into the structure, arrangement, dynamics, guest-host interactions, and the binding sites in these confined systems, and is probably the most powerful analytical technique to probe these systems.

Valence state alternation of copper species doped in HY zeolite as revealed by paramagnetic relaxation enhancement NMR spectroscopy

Paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) solid-state NMR (ssNMR) was used to monitor the valence state alternation of copper species doped in HY zeolite during catalytic reaction processes. The combination of PRE ssNMR and in-situ NMR spectroscopy facilitates the detection of copper species as well as the monitoring of evolution from reactants, intermediates to products in heterogeneously catalyzed processes, which is of great importance for elucidating the detailed catalytic reaction mechanism.

Solid-state NMR concepts for the investigation of supported transition metal catalysts and nanoparticles

In recent years, solid-state NMR spectroscopy has evolved into an important characterization tool for the study of solid catalysts and chemical processes on their surface. This interest is mainly triggered by the need of environmentally benign organic transformations ("green chemistry"), which has resulted in a large number of new catalytically active hybrid materials, which are organized on the meso- and nanoscale. Typical examples of these catalysts are supported homogeneous transition metal catalysts or transition metal nanoparticles (MNPs). Solid-state NMR spectroscopy is able to characterize both the structures of these materials and the chemical processes on the catalytic surface. This article presents recent trends both on the characterization of immobilized homogeneous transition metal catalysts and on the characterization of surface species on transition metal surfaces.

Solid state NMR of porous materials : zeolites and related materials

Solid state NMR spectroscopy applied to the science of crystalline micro- and mesoporous silica materials over the past 10 years is reviewed. A survey is provided of framework structure and connectivity analyses from chemical shift effects of various elements in zeolites including heteroatom substitutions, framework defects and pentacoordinated silicon for zeolites containing fluoride ions. New developments in the field of NMR crystallography are included. Spatial host-guest ordering and confinement effects of zeolite-sorbate complexes are outlined, with special emphasis on NMR applications utilizing the heteronuclear dipolar interaction. The characterization of zeolite acid sites and in situ NMR on catalytic conversions is also included. Finally, the motion of extra-framework cations is investigated in two tutorial cases of sodium hopping in sodalite and cancrinite.

In situ high temperature MAS NMR study of the mechanisms of catalysis. Ethane aromatization on Zn-modified zeolite BEA

Ethane conversion into aromatic hydrocarbons over Zn-modified zeolite BEA has been analyzed by high-temperature MAS NMR spectroscopy. Information about intermediates (Zn-ethyl species) and reaction products (mainly toluene and methane), which were formed under the conditions of a batch reactor, was obtained by (13)C MAS NMR. Kinetics of the reaction, which was monitored by (1)H MAS NMR in situ at the temperature of 573K, provided information about the reaction mechanism. Simulation of the experimental kinetics within the frames of the possible kinetic schemes of the reaction demonstrates that a large amount of methane evolved under ethane aromatization arises from the stage of direct ethane hydrogenolysis.

(1)H and (13)C MAS NMR studies of light alkanes activation over MFI zeolite modified by Zn vapour

The early stages of methane, ethane and propane conversion were studied by in situ (1)H and (13)C MAS NMR techniques over fully exchanged Zn(2+)/MFI catalyst obtained by the reaction with zinc vapour. The in situ techniques revealed strong interaction of alkanes with Zn(2+) cations evidenced by significant shift of the corresponding NMR lines. Besides that, the formation of methyl zinc, ethyl zinc and n-propyl zinc species along with bridging and silanol surface OH-groups was detected already at the ambient temperature. These results pointed to dissociative adsorption of alkanes over (ZO)-Zn(2+)-(OZ) and (ZO)-Zn(2+)-(OSi) active sites of the catalyst. The dissociative adsorption was shown to be a dead-end surface reaction in the case of methane starting reactant, while in the case of ethane and propane, it appeared to be responsible for the initiation of the catalytic cycle leading to alkenes and dihydrogen formation and regeneration of zinc containing catalytic sites.

Line narrowing in 1H MAS spectrum of mesoporous silica by removing adsorbed H2O using N2

The peaks for silanol protons in the high-resolution (1)H NMR spectrum obtained on mesoporous silica materials may be broadened and shifted downfield by hydrogen bonding with adsorbed water molecules. Overlapping of the resonance for hydrogen-bonded silanol with the corresponding broad peak due to hydrogen-bonded water may further complicate the spectrum. These complications hamper a quantitative analysis of the spectra for these and similar materials. It is demonstrated in this paper that adsorbed water can be removed by exposing the sample to dry N(2) during magic angle spinning. This results in significant line narrowing for the silanol protons in the (1)H MAS spectrum. The enhanced spectral resolution makes it possible to quantify the various hydroxyl groups in a complex metal-oxide catalyst. Results obtained on tungsten oxide supported on SBA-15 mesoporous silica materials are reported. Additionally, the proton chemical shift of tungsten hydroxyl is identified for the first time.