Consequences of Electron-Density Manipulations on the X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic Properties of Ferrocenyl-β-diketonato Complexes of Manganese(III). Structure of [Mn(FcCOCHCOCH3)3]

A Static Tin-Manganese Battery with 30000-Cycle Lifespan Based on Stabilized Mn3+/Mn2+ Redox Chemistry

High-potential Mn³⁺/Mn²⁺ redox couple (>1.3 V vs SHE) in a static battery system is rarely reported due to the shuttle and disproportionation of Mn³⁺ in aqueous solutions. Herein, based on reversible stripping/plating of the Sn anode and stabilized Mn²⁺/Mn³⁺ redox couple in the cathode, an aqueous Sn-Mn full battery is established in acidic electrolytes. Sn anode exhibits high deposition efficiency, low polarization, and excellent stability in acidic electrolytes. With the help of H⁺ and a complexing agent, a reversible conversion between Mn²⁺ and Mn³⁺ ions takes place on the graphite surface. Pyrophosphate ligand is initially employed to form a protective layer through a complexation process with Sn⁴⁺ on the electrode surface, effectively preventing Mn³⁺ from disproportionation and hindering the uncontrollable diffusion of Mn³⁺ to electrolytes. Benefiting from the rational design, the full battery delivers satisfied electrochemical performance including a large capacity (0.45 mAh cm^-2 at 5 mA cm^-2), high discharge plateau voltage (>1.6 V), excellent rate capability (58% retention from 5 to 30 mA cm^-2), and superior cycling stability (no decay after 30 000 cycles). The battery design strategy realizes a robustly stable Mn³⁺/Mn²⁺ redox reaction, which broadens research into ultrafast acidic battery systems.

Photocatalytic Decomposition of an Azo Dye Using Transition-Metal-Doped Tungsten and Molybdenum Carbides

The preparation, characterization, and photocatalytic application of tungsten or molybdenum carbides (Ni-WC, 1, Co-WC, 2, Ni-MoC, 3, Co-MoC, 4, NiCo-WC, 5, NiCo-MoC, 6, NiFe-WC, 7, and NiFe-MoC, 8) doped with transition metals (Fe, Co, and Ni) are reported. These transition-metal carbide (TMC) particles show that the submicrometer globular particles agglomerated to form larger particles, with smaller crystallites present on the surface of the large particles. These crystallite sizes range between 4 and 34 nm (as calculated from X-ray diffraction data) depending on the metal dopant and type of carbide. Oxidation of the metal carbides is evident from the two sets of photoelectron lines present in the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the W 4f area. The Mo 3d spectra reveal four sets of photoelectron lines associated with oxidized MoO₂ and MoO₃ as well as Mo²⁺ and Mo³⁺ associated with MoC_1-x . The XPS of the dopant metals Ni, Co, and Fe also show partial oxidation. The photocatalytic decomposition of Congo red (an azo dye) is used as a model reaction to determine the photocatalytic activities of the transition-metal carbides, which is related to the TMCs' optical band gap energies.

Polyacrylonitrile-Coordinated Perovskite Solar Cell with Open-Circuit Voltage Exceeding 1.23 V

In solution-processed organic-inorganic halide perovskite films, halide-anion related defects including halide vacancies and interstitial defects can easily form at the surfaces and grain boundaries. The uncoordinated lead cations produce defect levels within the band gap, and the excess iodides disturb the interfacial carrier transport. Thus these defects lead to severe nonradiative recombination, hysteresis, and large energy loss in the device. Herein, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was introduced to passivate the uncoordinated lead cations in the perovskite films. The coordinating ability of cyano group was found to be stronger than that of the normally used carbonyl groups, and the strong coordination could reduce the I/Pb ratio at the film surface. With the PAN perovskite film, the device efficiency improved from 21.58 % to 23.71 % and the open-circuit voltage from 1.12 V to 1.23 V, the ion migration activation energy increased, and operational stability improved.

Silica Nanopowder Supported Frustrated Lewis Pairs for CO2 Capture and Conversion to Formic Acid

Treatment of hydroxylated silica nanopowders S1 and allyl-functionalized silica nanopowders S2 with 3-(diphenylborano)- or 3-bis(pentafluorophenylborano)propyltrimethoxysilane or 2-(diphenylphosphino)- or 2-(dicyclohexylphosphino)ethyltriethoxysilane generates silica nanopowder supported Lewis acids S3 and silica nanopowder supported Lewis bases S4. These surfaces were characterized by ¹³C, ¹¹B, and ³¹P cross-polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CP MAS NMR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FTIR). When S3 is combined with solution-phase Lewis bases PR₃ (R = C₆F₅, C₆H₅, mesityl), six associated silica nanopowder supported frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) are formed. In another set of six reactions, the interactions between the supported Lewis bases S4 and solution-phase Lewis acids BR₃ with R = C₆F₅, C₆H₅, mesityl produced six more associated supported FLPs. The capture of CO₂ by these FLPs producing FLP-CO₂ Lewis pair adducts S5 and S6 were highlighted by ATR FTIR, and it was found that FLP S5e with R = C₆H₅ on both the supported Lewis acid and solution-phase Lewis base trapped the largest quantities of CO₂ on the silica nanopowder supports. Conversion of CO₂ to HCOOH was achieved by first activating H₂ to generate activated FLP-H₂ surfaces S7 and S9. Addition of CO₂ then generated HCOOH via the silica nanopowder supported FLP-HCOOH adducts S8 and S10. Qualitative identification of HCOOH generation was achieved by ATR FTIR measurements, and surface 10b with R = C₆H₅ proved to be the most successful silica nanopowder surface bound FLP in HCOOH generation. In some cases, diborano formates (-BO(CH)OB-) S11 and S12 were also identified as side products during HCOOH formation. Spectroscopic characterization of purposefully synthesized S11 and S12 included ¹¹B and ³¹P CP MAS NMR.

Synthesis, Spectroscopy and Electrochemistry in Relation to DFT Computed Energies of Ferrocene- and Ruthenocene-Containing -Diketonato Iridium(III) Heteroleptic Complexes. Structure of [(2-Pyridylphenyl)2Ir(RcCOCHCOCH3]

A series of new ferrocene- and ruthenocene-containing iridium(III) heteroleptic complexes of the type [(ppy)2Ir(RCOCHCOR')], with ppy = 2-pyridylphenyl, R = Fc = FeII(η5-C5H4)(η5-C5H5) and R' = CH3 (1) or Fc (2), as well as R = Rc = RuII(η5-C5H4)(η5-C5H5) and R' = CH3 (3), Rc (4) or Fc (5) was synthesized via the reaction of appropriate metallocene-containing β-diketonato ligands with [(ppy)2(-Cl)Ir]2. The single crystal structure of 3 (monoclinic, P21/n, Z = 4) is described. Complexes 1-5 absorb light strongly in the region 280-480 nm the metallocenyl -diketonato substituents quench phosphorescence in 1-5. Cyclic and square wave voltammetric studies in CH2Cl2/[N(nBu)4][B(C6F5)4] allowed observation of a reversible IrIII/IV redox couple as well as well-resolved ferrocenyl (Fc) and ruthenocenyl (Rc) one-electron transfer steps in 1-5. The sequence of redox events is in the order Fc oxidation, then IrIII oxidation and finally ruthenocene oxidation, all in one-electron transfer steps. Generation of IrIV quenched phosphorescence in 6, [(ppy)2Ir(H3CCOCHCOCH3)]. This study made it possible to predict the IrIII/IV formal reduction potential from Gordy scale group electronegativities, χR and/or ΣχR' of -diketonato pendent side groups as well as from DFT-calculated energies of the highest occupied molecular orbital of the species involved in the IrIII/IV oxidation at a 98 % accuracy level.

Zwitterionic Mixed Valence: Internalizing Counteranions into a Biferrocenium Framework toward Molecular Expression of Half-Cells in Quantum Cellular Automata

Realization of molecular quantum cellular automata (QCA), a promising architecture for molecular computing through current-free processes, requires improved understanding and application of mixed-valence (MV) molecules. In this report, we present an electrostatic approach to creating MV subspecies through internalizing opposite charges in close proximity to MV ionic moieties. This approach is demonstrated by unsymmetrically attaching a charge-responsive boron substituent to a well-known organometallic MV complex, biferrocenium. Guest anions (CN^- and F^- ) bind to the Lewis acidic boron center, leading to unusual blue-shifts of the intervalence charge-transfer (IVCT) bands. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported example of a zwitterionic MV series in which the degree of positive charge delocalization can be varied by changing the bound anions, and serves to clarify the interplay between IVCT parameters. The key underlying factor is the variable zero-level energy difference in the MV states. This work provides new insight into imbuing MV molecules with external charge-responsiveness, a prerequisite of molecular QCA techniques.

Can Electrochemical Measurements Be Used To Predict X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic Data? The Case of Ferrocenyl-β-Diketonato Complexes of Manganese(III)

In order to better understand intramolecular communication between molecular fragments, a series of ferrocene-functionalized β-diketonato manganese(III) complexes, [Mn(FcCOCHCOR)₃] with R = CF₃, 1, CH₃, 2, Ph = C₆H₅, 3, and Fc = Fe^II(η⁵-C₅H₄)(η⁵-C₅H₅), 4, the mixed ligand β-diketonato complex [Mn(FcCOCHCOFc)₂(FcCOCHCOCH₃)], 5, as well as the acac complex [Mn(CH₃COCHCOCH₃)₃], 6, were subjected to an electrochemical and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study. The ferrocenyl (Fe^II) and Mn^III redox potentials, E°', and photoelectron lines were sufficiently resolved in each complex to demonstrate a linear correlation between E°' and group electronegativities of ligand R groups, χ_R, or Σχ_R, as well as with binding energies of both the Fe 2p_3/2 and Mn 2p_3/2 photoelectron lines. These relationships are consistent with effective communication between molecular fragments of 1-5. From these relationships, prediction of Mn and Fe core electron binding energies in [Mn(R¹COCHCOR²)₃] complexes from known manganese and/or ferrocenyl redox potentials are, therefore, now possible. Ligand infrared carbonyl stretching frequencies were successfully related to binding energy as a measure of the energy required for inner-sphere reorganization. In particular it became possible to explain why, upon electrochemical oxidation or photoionization, the ferrocenyl Fe^II inner-shell of 1-5 needs more energy in complexes with ligands bearing electron-withdrawing (CF₃) groups than in ligands bearing electron-donating groups such as ferrocenyl. The XPS determined entity I_ratio (the ratio between the intensities of the satellite and main metal 2p_3/2 photoelectron lines) is an indication not only of the amount of charge transferred, but also of the degree of inner-sphere reorganization. Just as for binding energy, the quantity I_ratio was also found to be related to the energy requirements for the inner-sphere reorganization depicted by the vibrational frequency, v_co.

Significance of the electron-density of molecular fragments on the properties of manganese(iii) β-diketonato complexes: an XPS and DFT study

The group electronegativity of the R-groups of the ligand influences the XPS binding energies and the amount of charge transferred in the Mn 2p_3/2 photoelectron lines. DFT studies illustrated different Jahn–Teller elongation bond stretch isomers.

Properties of Manganese(III) Ferrocenyl-β-Diketonato Complexes Revealed by Charge Transfer and Multiplet Splitting in the Mn 2p and Fe 2p X-Ray Photoelectron Envelopes

A series of ferrocenyl-functionalized β-diketonato manganese(III) complexes, [Mn(FcCOCHCOR)₃] with R = CF₃, CH₃, Ph (phenyl) and Fc (ferrocenyl) was subjected to a systematic XPS study of the Mn 2p_3/2 and Fe 2p_3/2 core-level photoelectron lines and their satellite structures. A charge-transfer process from the β-diketonato ligand to the Mn(III) metal center is responsible for the prominent shake-up satellite peaks of the Mn 2p photoelectron lines and the shake-down satellite peaks of the Fe 2p photoelectron lines. Multiplet splitting simulations of the photoelectron lines of the Mn(III) center of [Mn(FcCOCHCOR)₃] resemble the calculated Mn 2p_3/2 envelope of Mn³⁺ ions well, indicating the Mn(III) centers are in the high spin state. XPS spectra of complexes with unsymmetrical β-diketonato ligands (i.e., R not Fc) were described with two sets of multiplet splitting peaks representing fac and the more stable mer isomers respectively. Stronger electron-donating ligands stabilize fac more than mer isomers. The sum of group electronegativities, Σχ_R, of the β-diketonato pendant side groups influences the binding energies of the multiplet splitting and charge transfer peaks in both Mn and Fe 2p_3/2 photoelectron lines, the ratio of satellite to main peak intensities, and the degree of covalence of the Mn–O bond.