Gas-Phase Production of Molybdenum Carbide, Nitride, and Sulfide Clusters and Nanocrystallites

Subnano-transformation of molybdenum carbide to oxycarbide

Ultrasmall particles exhibit structures and/or properties that are different from those of the corresponding bulk materials; in this context especially ultrasmall precious-metal particles have been extensively investigated. In this study, we targeted the transition base-metal Mo and succeeded in systematically producing Mo oxycarbide/carbide particles with diameters of 1.7 ± 0.7, 1.4 ± 0.5, 1.3 ± 0.4, 1.2 ± 0.3, 1.0 ± 0.3, and 0.8 ± 0.2 nm on a carbon support using the carbothermal hydrogen reduction method at 773 K and a diphenylazomethine-type dendrimer as a template. The formation and properties of the particles were confirmed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) images, and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) studies. We found that Mo particles with a diameter of 1.3 nm or greater formed carbides such as β'-Mo₂C, whereas smaller particles formed oxycarbides, indicating a size-dependent transformation in the phase or composition of the particles. Thus, this work demonstrated a new concept, subnano-transformation, which would be a new class of phase transformation based on the concept of the size dependence in such an ultrasmall scale. In addition, the movement of Mo atoms within a cluster and on the fringes of a nanoparticle was also demonstrated during continuous time-course high-resolution HAADF-STEM observation.

Gas-Phase Reactivity Studies of Small Molybdenum Cluster Ions with Dimethyl Disulfide

Molybdenum sulfide is a potent hydrogen evolution catalyst, and is discussed as a replacement of platinum in large-scale electrochemical hydrogen production. To learn more about the elementary steps of MoS₂ production by sputtering in the presence of dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), the reactions of Mo_x⁺, x = 1–3, with DMDS are studied by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and density functional theory calculations. A rich variety of products composed of molybdenum, sulfur, carbon and hydrogen was observed. Mo_xS_y⁺ species are formed in the first reaction step, together with products containing carbon and hydrogen. The calculations indicate that the strong Mo-S bonds are formed preferentially, followed by Mo–C bonds. Hydrogen is exclusively bound to carbon atoms, i.e. no insertion of a molybdenum atom into a C–H bond is observed. The reactions are efficient and highly exothermic, explaining the rich chemistry observed in the experiment.

Sulfur-based redox reactions in Mo3S7(4+) and Mo3S4(4+) clusters bearing halide and 1,2-dithiolene ligands: a mass spectrometric and density functional theory study

The gas phase fragmentation reactions of sulfur-rich [Mo(3)S(7)Br(6)](2-) (1(2-)), [Mo(3)S(7)(bdt)(3)](2-) (2(2-)), and [Mo(3)S(4)(bdt)(3)](2-) (3(2-)) (bdt = benzenedithiolate) complexes have been investigated by electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry and theoretical calculations at the density functional theory level. Upon collision induced dissociation (CID) conditions, the brominated 1(2-) dianion dissociates through two sequential steps that involves a heterolytic Mo-Br cleavage to give [Mo(3)S(7)Br(5)](-) plus Br(-) followed by a two-electron redox process that affords [Mo(3)S(5)Br(5)](-) and diatomic S(2) sulfur. Dianion [Mo(3)S(7)(bdt)(3)](2-) (2(2-)) dissociates through two sequential redox processes evolving diatomic S(2) sulfur and neutral bdt to yield [Mo(3)S(5)(bdt)(3)](2-) and [Mo(3)S(5)(bdt)(2)](2-), respectively. Conversely, dianion [Mo(3)S(4)(bdt)(3)](2-) (3(2-)), with sulfide instead of disulfide S(2)(2-) bridged ligands, remains intact under identical fragmentation conditions, thus highlighting the importance of disulfide ligands (S(2)(2-)) as electron reservoirs to trigger redox reactions. Regioselective incorporation of (34)S and Se at the equatorial position of the Mo(3)S(7) cluster core in 1(2-) and 2(2-) have been used to identify the product ions along the fragmentation pathways. Reaction mechanisms for the gas-phase dissociation pathways have been elucidated by means of B3LYP calculations, and a comparison with the solution reactivity of Mo(3)S(7) and Mo(3)S(4) clusters as well as closely related Mo/S/dithiolene systems is also discussed.

Closed-cage clusters in the gaseous and condensed phases derived from sonochemically synthesized MoS2 nanoflakes

The Mo(13) clusters we previously reported were derived from MoS(2) flakes prepared from bulk MoS(2), although the nature of the precursor species was not fully understood. The existence of the clusters in the condensed phase was a question. Here we report the preparation of MoS(2) nanoflakes from elemental precursors using the sonochemical method and study the gas-phase clusters derived from them using mass spectrometry. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrum of the precursor is comparable to nano MoS(2) derived from bulk MoS(2). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) revealed the formation of nanoflakes of MoS(2) with 10- to 30-nm length and 3- to 5-nm thickness. Laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) confirmed the formation of Mo(13) clusters from this nanomaterial. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) points to the existence of Mo(13) clusters in the condensed phase. The clusters appear to be stable because they do not fragment in the mass spectrometer even at the highest laser intensity. Computational analysis based on generalized Wannier orbitals is used to understand bonding and stability of the clusters. These clusters are highly stable with a rich variety in terms of centricity and multiplicity of Mo-Mo, S-Mo, and S-S bonds.

Numerical fitting of molecular properties to Hermite Gaussians

A procedure is presented to fit gridded molecular properties to auxiliary basis sets (ABSs) of Hermite Gaussians, analogous to the density fitting (DF) method (Dunlap; et al. J. Chem. Phys. 1979, 71, 4993). In this procedure, the ab initio calculated properties (density, electrostatic potential, and/or electric field) are fitted via a linear- or nonlinear-least-squares procedure to auxiliary basis sets (ABS). The calculated fitting coefficients from the numerical grids are shown to be more robust than analytic density fitting due to the neglect of the core contributions. The fitting coefficients are tested by calculating intermolecular Coulomb and exchange interactions for a set of dimers. It is shown that the numerical instabilities observed in DF are caused by the attempt of the ABS to fit the core contributions. In addition, this new approach allows us to reduce the number of functions required to obtain an accurate fit. This results in decreased computational cost, which is shown by calculating the Coulomb energy of a 4096 water box in periodic boundary conditions. Using atom centered Hermite Gaussians, this calculation is only 1 order of magnitude slower than conventional atom-centered point charges.

Spectroscopic constants and potential energy curves of yttrium carbide (YC)

The potential energy curves of the low-lying electronic states of yttrium carbide (YC) and its cation are calculated at the complete active space self-consistent field and the multireference single and double excitation configuration interaction (MRSDCI) levels of theory. Fifteen low-lying electronic states of YC with different spin and spatial symmetries were identified. The X (4)Sigma- state prevails as the ground state of YC, and a low-lying excited A (4)Pi state is found to be 1661 cm(-1) higher at the MRSDCI level. The computations of the authors support the assignment of the observed spectra to a B (4)Delta(Omega=72)<--A (4)Pi(Omega=52) transition with a reinterpretation that the A (4)Pi state is appreciably populated under the experimental conditions as it is less than 2000 cm(-1) of the X (4)Sigma- ground state, and the previously suggested (4)Pi ground state is reassigned to the first low-lying excited state of YC. The potential energy curves of YC+ confirm a previous prediction by Seivers et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 105, 6322 (1996)] that the ground state of YC+ is formed through a second pathway at higher energies. The calculated ionization energy of YC is 6.00 eV, while the adiabatic electron affinity is 0.95 eV at the MRSDCI level. The computed ionization energy of YC and dissociation energy of YC+ confirm the revised experimental estimates provided by Seivers et al. although direct experimental measurements yielded results with greater errors due to uncertainty in collisional cross sections for YC+ formation.

Metal-carbon clusters: the origin of the delayed atomic ion

Studies of the emission of electrons from excited metal-carbon cluster systems that include the Met-Car (M(8)C(12), where M is Ti, Zr, and V) also have revealed the evolution of a delayed atomic ion. The source of the delayed atomic ion, which involves the emission of ionized atoms on the microsecond time scale, is the focus of this investigation. By studying the delayed ionization of mixed zirconium and titanium carbon complexes produced in a laser vaporization source coupled to a time-of-flight mass spectrometer, for the first time both the zirconium and titanium delayed atomic ions were observed to be emitted in the same experiment. These studies allowed a determination that the source of the delayed atomic ion is an excited metal dicarbide. A plausible mechanism involving the excitation of a high Rydberg state of the metal dicarbide prior to an excited ion pair separation is proposed.

Reactivity of Small MoxOy- Clusters toward Methane and Ethane

The reactions of Mo2Oy- suboxide clusters with both methane and ethane have been studied with a combination of mass spectrometry, anion photoelectron spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations. Reactions were carried out under "gentle" and "violent" conditions. For methane, a number of products appeared under the gentler source conditions that were more logically attributed to dissociation of Mo2Oy- clusters upon reacting with methane to form MoCH2-, Mo(O)CH2-, and HMo(O2)CH3-. With ethane, products observed under the same gentle conditions were Mo(O)C2H2-, Mo(O)C2H4-, Mo(O2)C2H4-, and Mo(O2)(C2H5)2-. As expected, more products were observed when the reactions were carried out under violent conditions. The photoelectron spectra obtained for these species were compared to calculated adiabatic and vertical electron affinities and vibrational frequencies, leading to definitive structural assignments for several of the products.

Limitations of the Molecular Multipole Expansion Treatment of Electrostatic Interactions for C−H···O and O−H···O Hydrogen Bonds and Application of a General Charge Density Approach

A molecular multipole expansion treatment (up to hexadecapole) is examined for its accuracy in describing hydrogen-bond electrostatic interactions, with particular reference to explaining the differences between blue-shifted C-H...O and red-shifted O-H...O bonds. In interactions of H2O and CH4 with point charges at hydrogen-bonding distances, we find that the molecular multipole treatment not only fails to reproduce ab initio energies but also forces on OH or CH bonds, and therefore cannot properly account for the electrostatic component of the interaction. A treatment based on a molecule's permanent charge density and its derivatives and the charge density and its derivatives induced by an external multipole distribution is in full accord with ab initio results, as shown by application to models of the H2O-H2O and CH4-FH systems. Such a charge density approach provides a fundamental basis for understanding the importance of interaction forces in initiating structural change and thereby altering molecular properties.

Effects of carbon on the stability and chemical performance of transition metal carbides: A density functional study

Density functional theory was employed to study the stabilities and chemical activities of transition metal carbides. Here we take the well-known Mo carbides and Ti carbides as an example. Different kinds of structures including the bulk surfaces [Mo(2)C(001), MoC(001), and TiC(001)] and metcars [Mo(8)C(12) and Ti(8)C(12)] are taken into consideration. Systematic studies show that by raising the C coordination number of the metal atoms in the carbides, in general the stability of the carbides increases (metcars are an exception since they include both high-coordinated and low-coordinated metal atoms.); at the same time, the chemical activities of the carbides decrease due to a downshift of the metal d-band center (ligand effect). Considering the better catalysts those that combine high stability and moderate chemical activity, our results suggest that the catalytic potential of Mo carbide systems should decrease in the following sequence: Mo(8)C(12)>Mo(2)C(001) or MoC(001)>pure Mo(110). In spite of having the largest C/Mo ratio, the metcar appears as the most attractive system. Our studies also indicate that the "magic" behavior of metcars is not unique for Mo carbides. Similar behavior is also observed for Ti carbides. This implies that nanoparticles like metcar species could exhibit better performances than the corresponding bulk metal carbides as catalysts.