Ligand-Mediated Reactivity in CO Oxidation of Niobium-Nickel Monoxide Carbonyl Complexes: The Crucial Roles of the Multiple Adsorption of CO Molecules

Observation of the Transition from Triple Bonds to Single Bonds between Ru-Ge Bonding in RuGeO(CO)n- (n = 3-5)

This work reports the observation and characterization of heterobinuclear transition-metal main-group metal oxide carbonyl complex anions, RuGeO(CO)n- (n = 3-5), by combining mass-selected photoelectron velocity map imaging spectroscopy and quantum chemistry calculations. The experimentally determined vertical electron detachment energy of RuGeO(CO)3- surpasses those of RuGeO(CO)4- and RuGeO(CO)5-, which is attributed to distinctive bonding features. RuGeO(CO)3- manifests one covalent σ and two Ru-to-Ge dative π bonds, contrasting with the sole covalent σ bond present in RuGeO(CO)4- and RuGeO(CO)5-. Unpaired spin density distribution analysis reveals a 17-electron configuration at the Ru center in RuGeO(CO)3- and an 18-electron configuration in RuGeO(CO)4- and RuGeO(CO)5-. This work closes a gap in the quantitative physicochemical characterization of heteronuclear oxide carbonyl complexes, enhancing our insights into catalytic processes of CO/GeO on the metal surface at the molecular level.

Spectroscopic Signature of the Carbon-Carbon Coupling Reaction between Carbon Monoxide and Nickel Carbide

Spectroscopic characterization of ketenylidene complexes is of essential importance for understanding the structure-reactivity relationships of the catalytic sites. Here, we report a size-specific photoelectron velocity map imaging spectroscopic study of the reactions of carbon monoxide with nickel carbide. Quantum chemical calculations have been conducted to search for the energetically favorable isomers and to recognize the experimental spectra. The target products with the chemical formula of NiC(CO)n- (n = 3-5) are characterized to have an intriguing ketenylidene CCO unit. The evolution from NiC(CO)3- to NiC(CO)4- involves the breaking and formation of the Ni-C bond and the coordination conversion between the terminal and bridging carbonyls. Experimental and theoretical analyses reveal an efficient C-C bond formation process within the reactions of carbon monoxide and laser-vaporized nickel carbide. This work highlights the pivotal roles played by metal carbides in the C-C bond formation and also proposes new ideas for the design and chemical control of a broad class of complexes with unique physical and chemical properties.

Structural and photoelectron spectroscopic study on the heterotrinuclear nickel-titanium dioxide carbonyl complexes Ni2TiO2(CO) n - (n = 2-4)

Herein, the configurations and intrinsic electronic properties of heteronuclear transition metal dioxide carbonyl anions Ni₂TiO₂(CO) _n ^- (n = 2-4) in the gas phase were investigated using mass spectrometry coupled anionic photoelectron spectroscopy, ab initio calculations, and simulated density-of-state (DOS) spectra. The results clearly show that the binding of electrons is enhanced by the addition of CO. The ground state structures of Ni₂TiO₂(CO) _n ^- (n = 2-4) are characterized to show that three transition metal atoms (one Ti atom and two Ni atoms) forming a quasi-line is favored. The interaction between Ni and C becomes weaker as the cluster size increases. The natural electron configuration shows that the extra electron is enriched on O atoms attached to Ti, and there is strong interaction between Ti and O atoms. This work gives significant insight into the configuration and electronic structures of nickel-titanium dioxide carbonyl anions, which has potential application in adsorption of carbon monoxide on the surfaces/interfaces of alloys.

Photoelectron velocity-map imaging spectroscopy of nickel carbide: Examination of the low-lying electronic states

The photoelectron detachment of nickel carbide anion has been characterized using the photoelectron velocity-map imaging spectroscopy, allowing for a precise assignment of the electron affinity, vibrational frequencies, energy spacing and...

Rhodium chemistry: A gas phase cluster study

Due to the extraordinary catalytic activity in redox reactions, the noble metal, rhodium, has substantial industrial and laboratory applications in the production of value-added chemicals, synthesis of biomedicine, removal of automotive exhaust gas, and so on. The main drawback of rhodium catalysts is its high-cost, so it is of great importance to maximize the atomic efficiency of the precious metal by recognizing the structure-activity relationship of catalytically active sites and clarifying the root cause of the exceptional performance. This Perspective concerns the significant progress on the fundamental understanding of rhodium chemistry at a strictly molecular level by the joint experimental and computational study of the reactivity of isolated Rh-based gas phase clusters that can serve as ideal models for the active sites of condensed-phase catalysts. The substrates cover the important organic and inorganic molecules including CH₄, CO, NO, N₂, and H₂. The electronic origin for the reactivity evolution of bare Rh_x ^q clusters as a function of size is revealed. The doping effect and support effect as well as the synergistic effect among heteroatoms on the reactivity and product selectivity of Rh-containing species are discussed. The ingenious employment of diverse experimental techniques to assist the Rh₁- and Rh₂-doped clusters in catalyzing the challenging endothermic reactions is also emphasized. It turns out that the chemical behavior of Rh identified from the gas phase cluster study parallels the performance of condensed-phase rhodium catalysts. The mechanistic aspects derived from Rh-based cluster systems may provide new clues for the design of better performing rhodium catalysts including the single Rh atom catalysts.

Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Gas-Phase CO Oxidation on the Scandium Monoxide Carbonyl Complexes

The CO chemisorption onto the ScO⁺ cation was investigated using infrared photodissociation spectroscopy combined with density functional theory calculations. The spectra were recorded in the CO stretching vibrational region for the OSc(CO)_n⁺ (n = 4-6) complex series. Comparisons of the experimental spectra with the simulated ones have established the geometries and present strong evidence that all of the CO ligands are chemisorbed, which could not be readily oxidized by scandium monoxide core into CO₂. Complementary calculations demonstrate that, regardless of the thermodynamic feasibility, the CO oxidation on the scandium monoxide carbonyl complexes is kinetically unfavorable due to the significant barriers involved in the CO oxidation process. Nevertheless, the consecutive CO adsorption has a positive influence on the Sc-O bond activation.

Unsaturated binuclear homoleptic nickel carbonyl anions Ni2(CO)n− (n = 4–6) featuring double three-center two-electron Ni–C–Ni bonds

The two nickel atoms in the Ni₂(CO)_n⁻ (n = 4–6) complexes are joined by two bridging carbonyl ligands via the sharing three-center two-electron Ni–C–Ni bond in turn to achieve the (16,16), (16,18), and eventually the favored (18,18) configurations.

Multicenter electron-sharing σ-bonding in the AgFe(CO)4− complex

For the AgFe(CO)₄⁻ anion, the silver atom is covalently bonded to the anionic tetracarbonyl-iron, an isolobal analogue of the methyl radical, via a peculiar decentralized electron-sharing σ bond.